On the mend: Leeds Rhinos veteran Tom Briscoe reflects on his injury setback, end of contract and team's improved Super League form under coach Rohan Smith

The 32-year-old centre/winger needed surgery after suffering an ankle injury in Rhinos’ win over Toulouse Olympique at Headingley on April 22, when Jamie Jones-Buchanan was serving as interim-coach.

Because of Challenge Cup breaks, he has missed only three games so far and revealed he is hoping to be back on the field in around two months’ time.

Assessing his current situation, Briscoe confirmed: “I’m getting there, slowly, but I am progressing.”

He said: “I had the operation and that all went well.

“I am in a walking boot for a couple of weeks and on the mend.

“I was told eight-10 weeks, so I’m hoping to be back any time around then, but I haven’t pencilled anything in yet, it is still a bit early.

“I’ve done two or three weeks now, so if we are looking at that, maybe another five or six, all being well.”

Briscoe is still unable to run, but is stepping up light training.

“I was in a cast for two weeks and that was tough, but now I am in the boot I am able to get around and starting to do a bit more out of the boot as well,” he said.

“When you say ‘six weeks’ it doesn’t sound too bad.

“I am doing upper-body conditioning and weights and I’ve just started doing some light rehab’ on my ankle to try and build that up.

“With it having been in the cast and boot so long it has lost some size and strength.”

The injury was frustrating for several reasons, Briscoe - who was ever-present last year and played in all 11 games until his injury - admitted.

“The timing could have been better,” he said.

“With the new coach coming in and everyone wanting to impress him, I haven’t had a chance and won’t get a chance to do that any time soon.

“But hopefully he will have seen what I’ve done this season and he can make a decision from that, then when I am fit we’ll see what happens in training.”

As an injured player, Briscoe is not training with the full-time squad, but said boss Rohan Smith has been in close touch since arriving at Leeds earlier this month.

“I have spoken to him quite a bit,” he confirmed.

“It is too early to discuss rugby, but he has been really interested in seeing how I am going, so that has been nice.”

Briscoe joined Rhinos from Hull ahead of the 2014 season and was awarded an RFL testimonial this year, but is in the final season of his current deal.

“I am out of contract and obviously with a new coach coming in I have not had chance to discuss that yet,” he stated.

“Getting injured hasn’t come at a great time for that either.

“I am not worried at the moment, it will happen when it happens.

“I am just focusing on getting back fit.”

From a team perspective, Briscoe believes Rhinos - who visit Warrington Wolves on Friday - are on the up after their disappointing start to the campaign.

They have won three of their last four games and he noted: “Obviously we got the win over Wakefield and we can take a lot from that.

“Being out of the Cup has afforded us a bit more time with Rohan, him coming over at this time.

“We have had a couple of bye weeks in there because of the Cup and that has given him a bit of extra time to try and impress upon us what he wants and expects.

“It is a bit of extra time without the pressure of a game at the end of the week.

“[Last week was] another learning week for the team and hopefully we can start to make some strides forward over the next couple of weeks.”