I feel like a competition winner: Ryan Brierley on playing in Salford’s spine

Ryan Brierley had us in hysterics at the Salford’s Media Day, saying he feels like a competition winner playing in Salford’s spine.

The Scotland full-back played a key role in helping the Red Devils come to within a whisker of the Grand Final last season.

But he had us laughing when he gave a humble response on what it was like to play in Salford’s spine with Man of Steel Brodie Croft and England internationals Marc Sneyd and Andy Ackers.

Brierley said with a chuckle: “It’s funny because Brodie was Man of Steel while Ackers and Sneydy played for England. I just feel like a competition winner at the back!

“As a full-back, I’m always the last cog in the wheel after them three have touched it, so it just makes my job a little bit easier.

“Even outside me, with Ken Sio, Joe Burgess, Deon (Cross) and Tim (Lafai), I’m blessed to be in such a good team. It makes life much easier, even like day to day in training.”

Semi-final defeat a tough pill to swallow for Ryan Brierley

The Red Devils fell short to the all-conquering Saints in the semi-finals, a defeat which took Brierley a while to overcome.

He told Love Rugby League: “I loved every minute of it last season, it was a heartbreaking end which took some getting over. I had plenty of sleepless nights about that game.

“It’s a funny one because I’ve never been close to a Grand Final, I never really think about it so when the season finishes and you don’t make the play-offs it doesn’t hurt as much but because we came so close to it, I was up every night and I was in tears about it after the game. It just adds to the desire of getting there.

“You can ask anyone, we wasn’t ready for our season to end there. We felt fresh, we felt good but we just missed the jump on the day. Saints were just too good.”

Salford get their 2023 Super League campaign underway at Brierley’s former club Leigh on February 17.

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