Widnes sign Briscoe on two-year deal

Widnes have today announced the signing of Shaun Briscoe on a two-year deal and he will join the Vikings at the end of the current season.

Briscoe, who is currently in his fourth year at Hull KR, has also had a wealth of top flight experience at Hull FC and Wigan, where he made his first team debut back in 2002.

The full back has also represented England at International level and Widnes coach Dennis Betts expressed his delight at recruiting such an experienced player

“It’s strange when you look back and then appreciate how quickly time flies and Shaun’s not a young man anymore, but when it came to recruitment we were well aware that we needed an established player in the backs with a history of continued exposure to the highest levels of the game both domestically and internationally and he certainly ticks that box.

“Shaun will bring a wealth of experience and all-round quality to the Vikings, not only as a player but also as a person. In a similar vein to another of our recent signings, Ben Cross, he won’t just play for the first team and give it his all on the pitch every week, he’ll also mentor the younger players coming through our youth structure.

“He’s always been a player with a great deal of determination, resilience and an appetite to achieve things in the game and those are the very same attributes that match the ambition of both the club and our members who turn up week in week out to watch the team from the stands.”

Briscoe added “Being back in Super League means that it’s a completely fresh start for the Vikings and I’m excited by the thought of playing my part in their progress over the next couple of years.

“Making the decision to join the club wasn’t a difficult one at all. I’ve worked with Denis Betts before when he was my Reserve Team coach at Wigan and he was a big influence back then and hopefully it’ll be the same this time around. The same applies for Mick Cassidy, who has a similar hard-work ethic, attitude and professionalism about him, and to be in the company of such people again was another key factor.

“I realise only too well that there’s a huge challenge in store for me personally and the club itself, but there’s a belief in place that it’s something we can all strive towards together. Merely settling for a place in Super League isn’t an option and they’re aiming much higher than that and are desperate to hit the ground running and make an impact from day one

“In all honesty, it’s a similar situation to when I first joined Hull KR who were also preparing for their first season in the top flight. Over the last four years they’ve made massive strides forward and there’s no reason whatsoever why this can’t be replicated at the Vikings.”

Widnes have also offered a two-year deal to current player Macgraff Leuluai after impressing in the 18 appeareances made this season.

Macgraff stated “I’m really happy to sign a Super League contract at the Vikings and achieve the goal that I set myself at the start of the year.”