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Leeds Rhinos: Joy of six for skipper Sinfield INTERVIEW
As he closes in on another career milestone, record-breaking Leeds Rhinos skipper Kevin Sinfield admits he now regards himself more as a stand-off than loose-forward.
Friday’s Stobart Super League opener at home to Hull KR is set to be Sinfield’s 400th game for Leeds – seeing him become only the 11th player to achieve the feat.
Sinfield has always been known as a loose-forward, but after last year he admitted his views on which is his specialist position have changed.
The captain has retained his No 13 jersey, despite starting at stand-off in all but three of Rhinos’ 36 competitive games in 2011.
Initially switched to stand-off due to Danny McGuire’s long-term knee injury, he operated at loose-forward briefly when McGuire returned to partner Rob Burrow in the halves, but coach Brian McDermott quickly moved him back.
Rhinos powered to Grand Final victory with Sinfield at stand-off, McGuire playing loose-forward and Burrow coming off the bench.
The McGuire and Burrow half-back partnership gave McDermott food for thought by scoring five tries between them in Rhinos’ pre-season win over Featherstone Rovers two weeks ago, when Sinfield was rested. And the skipper stressed: “I am happy to play wherever Brian Mac and Jimmy (assistant-coach James Lowes) want me to play.
“I enjoy both roles. Last year I ended up playing six all year – some of that was down to Danny being injured at the start of the season, but I think we found a combination that worked in the end.
Happy
“I really enjoyed playing six and playing there with England was great as well. I am happy to play both, but if you ask me what my preference is, at the minute it would probably be six.”
Sinfield admitted he had previously regarded himself as a loose-forward, but he added: “I have played over 100 games for Leeds at stand-off.
“I played most of my academy games there when I was coming through. I have played a lot of football there and I really enjoy it.
“I think the role of 13 in this country has changed quite a bit. Some of those things I can’t do, the bigger guys are better at them than me so I suppose the natural thing was to move to six.”
Prop Brad Singleton started at loose-forward in Rhinos under-20s’ three warm-up games this year and with substitutions being reduced from 12 to 10 for this season that sort of switch could become an increasing trend.
“It is an option,” Sinfield accepted. “The Aussies do it and do it really well. We have got a number of people who can play 13 and fill that role certainly better than I could.
“It depends which way we are going to go. If we want a ball-playing 13 obviously that suits me, but if you want the other type, that suits a Richard Moore or a Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Chris Clarkson or Carl Ablett a bit more.
“I am not really sure how it is going to pan out yet, but I really enjoyed playing six last year and I think competition in the halves and every position is really important to the group.”
Of his 400th game for Leeds, Sinfield said: “I can’t believe it has been that many. I’ll be really proud.”
Sinfield, 31, is already Super League’s and his club’s record goal kicker and is likely to eclipse Lewis Jones’ Leeds points record mark this season.
Boss McDermott said: “To play 400 games for any club is an achievement, but Kevin has really affected the squad in a positive way over those games.
“It is not just a numerical milestone, he has had a significant bearing on most of those games. I should imagine there’s a good number of those when he has been the sole reason why the team has won.”
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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