Leeds Rhinos: ‘Crazy’ ride means Tom Briscoe has no regrets over rejecting NRL to Cronulla Sharks

The ex-England winger, 31, will play his testimonial match against Hull FC at Headingley on Sunday.

He has won two Super League Grand Finals and three Challenge Cups since joining Leeds from Hull in 2014, scoring 91 tries in 191 games along the way.

But Briscoe conceded the move almost did not happen.

“I’d made the decision to leave Hull but I was planning to go to Australia and that fell through,” he recalled.

“Hull had pulled the deal away, too, and they wanted to move on.

“I’d agreed a contract with Cronulla Sharks (in the NRL) and stuff came out with the drugs thing at the club.

“But no one could give me a strong enough answer to justify going over there.

“The club, credit to them, said it was up to me and to look elsewhere if I wanted.

“Obviously, moving to the other side of the world on the back of the unknown was a big risk.

“But there are no regrets in moving to Leeds.

“When the opportunity to come here came up, and after what they’d achieved the previous years, it was quite an easy decision.”

England team-mates Sam Burgess and James Graham were making big impressions for South Sydney and Canterbury Bulldogs respectively in Australia and Briscoe – just 23 at the time – could easily have made his own mark in the NRL.

But Cronulla were investigated by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) in early 2013 over its supplements program during the NRL season two years earlier.

Among other penalties, it resulted in coach Shane Flanagan being suspended for 12 months and the club receiving a $1m fine.

Briscoe went on to shine for Leeds, scoring a hat-trick against Hull KR on his debut in 2014.

The following year, when Rhinos won the treble, he crossed a record five times in their Wembley win over the same opponents, also claiming the Lance Todd Trophy.

“I couldn’t have dreamed of coming to Leeds and achieving what I have done here,” said the Featherstone-born player, who switches to centre this season and hopes to earn a new deal at the end of the year.

“It was a great time to come in 2014 at the back end of the golden generation.

“It’s been a crazy nine or ten years on and off the field.

“It’s been great and a crazy journey.”

“I’m really looking forward to Sunday. Having played at Hull for so long before this, I do look back fondly at my time there.

“I played all of my England games while there and reached Wembley in 2013. It’ll be a great experience.”