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Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Ryan Brierley | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 12 March 1992 Preston, Lancashire, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11.5 in (181.6 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 12 st 12 lb (82 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Fullback, Scrum-half, Stand-off | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 31 December 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ryan Brierley (born 12 March 1992) is a Scotland international rugby league footballer who plays as a goal-kicking fullback, scrum-half or stand-off for the Salford Red Devils in the Betfred Super League.
He previously played for the Leigh Centurions over two separate spells in the Championship and in the Super League. Brierley has also played for the Huddersfield Giants in the top flight and the Toronto Wolfpack in the lower tiers, and spent time on loan from Toronto at the Centurions in the second tier.
Brierley was born in Preston, Lancashire, England. After moving to Bolton as a two-year old, Brierley played junior rugby with local club Westhoughton Lions.[3]
Brierley joined Castleford Tigers academy in 2009, and appeared in a first team friendly for Castleford early in 2012, scoring a try against York City Knights.[citation needed]
After failing to get an opportunity in the first team with Castleford, Brierley joined Leigh Centurions. Brierley's first appearance for the club came on Saturday 7 January 2012 when he scored two tries in a friendly victory away to Super League neighbours Salford.
He became a prolific try-scorer at the club, finishing as the club's top try-scorer for four consecutive seasons between 2012 and 2015. He moved into the club's top 5 all-time leading try-scorers with 133 in 125 appearances following a two-try display against Bradford Bulls on 28 February 2016, which was his last match for the club.[4]
After triggering a clause in his contract, Brierley left Leigh and joined Super League club Huddersfield Giants on a four-and-a-half year contract in March 2016.[5]
Brierley signed with the Toronto Wolfpack for an undisclosed transfer fee in April 2017.[6]
Brierley signed with Hull Kingston Rovers in December 2019.[7] Rovers finished bottom of the table, avoiding relegation following former club Toronto's exit from the competition.[8]
After just one season with Hull KR, Brierley returned to Leigh for the 2021 season.[9]
In July, Brierley was ruled out indefinitely with an eye injury,[10] but returned before the end of the season to score a hat-trick against Wakefield Trinity, Leigh's second victory of the season.[11]
On 20 September 2021, Brierley signed for Salford in the Super League, the club he supported as a child.[12] Brierley played 26 games for Salford in the 2022 Super League season including the clubs semi-final loss against St Helens. In the 2023 Super League season, Brierley played 26 games for Salford as the club finished 7th on the table.[13]
Though born in England, Brierley's family is from Kilwinning in North Ayrshire, and thus he qualifies to play for Scotland at international level.[14] He made his Scotland début in the 2016 Four Nations, scoring a try in a defeat by Australia.