03 June 2023 , 16:15
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Salford boss Paul Rowley hailed Ryan Brierley’s influence and revealed just why he loves him so much.
The in-form full-back - who played with Rowley at Leigh and Toronto - came up with two killer plays to see off Hull KR at Magic Weekend. Salford trailed 12-10 at the break and were 20-16 down after England winger Ryan Hall scored in the 65th minute. But winger Ken Sio replied three minutes later after Brierley’s surging break.
And another ex-Robin - Chris Atkin - completed the win after Brierley split KR open once more, showing why he’s being talked of as a potential England player. Rowley said: “He’s crucial to us. He’s been the best full-back on the pitch for the last five or six games.
"We have several people who are quietly letting their actions speak louder than their words. At some point, you’ve got to start having a look, when it comes to that end of season: there’s some people putting their names up for some selections there if you know what I mean. I guess there’s a reason why every time I go somewhere to a different club, this man (Brierley) comes with me. We created a lot to start with and didn’t capitalise. But we stuck at it and deserved the win.”
Salford's Chris Atkin calls for medics after James Batchelor's injury (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) (Getty Images)England scrum-half Marc Sneyd booted 14 points, including four penalties, to go past 1,000 career points in his 300th appearance and see Salford replace Rovers in fourth spot. KR saw second-row James Batchelor was taken to hospital after being stretchered off wearing a neck brace following lengthy on-field treatment in the 25th minute.
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Rovers, whose first half converted tries came from Elliot Minchella and George Kinge, had seen Dean Hadley sin-binned for a high shot on Sneyd in the 62nd minute. But Salford were also reduced to 12 men just two minutes later when Deon Cross collared Lachlan Coote high, forcing the Rovers full-back off for a HIA.
Rovers boss Willie Peters, who also saw prop Jesse Sue helped off with a hamstring strain, said: “It was a tough afternoon. There’s a saying you get what you deserve and we did that today. There’s a few injuries which is not good to see. We were lucky to be in front at half-time but there were too many errors and ill-discipline second half. They won the ruck."