The veteran Hull winger made his 450th career appearance at Salford.
Hull FC winger Tom Briscoe.
Zak Hardaker issued a classy tribute to his Hull FC teammate Tom Briscoe ahead of the winger’s 450th career appearance on Friday night.
Briscoe made his latest career milestone in the Black and Whites’ Challenge Cup game at Salford RLFC, lining up on the left wing and playing his part in the 60-0 victory. Meanwhile, the cup tie was his 190th appearance for Hull, with Hardaker, who played with Briscoe at Leeds Rhinos and Leigh Leopards, also in the FC line-up.
They also featured at the same community club, Featherstone Lions, with Hardaker – a couple of years younger – playing with Briscoe’s brother Jack. And for the veteran centre, there was no doubt that Briscoe, who first debuted for the club in 2008, would go on to achieve great things in rugby league.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Hardaker said at Briscoe’s shirt presentation: “I feel like our careers have been intertwined a little bit. First at Featherstone Lions, and I can remember being about 11 or 12 playing with your younger brother Jack, and you were killing it. I think from then we knew you were going to be a good rugby player.
“Fast forward to Leeds Rhinos and we created lots of memories there, and then at Leigh, we had the bus rides and the bus journeys and had some more success there. And then on to Hull to continue our friendship has been really good.
“But also just you as a person as well and how you’ve grown with your family, it’s a real pleasure to give you this jersey.”
Briscoe’s former Hull teammates Kirk Yeaman and Lee Radford also sent in their video tributes ahead of the game.
“It was a privilege to play alongside you for all of those years,” Yeaman said, while Radford added, “Congratulations, mate. 450 games is an unbelievable achievement, and to hit that milestone at 48 years of age is a credit to you.”
Briscoe also looked back on a career that has seen him win both the Super League and the Challenge Cup – and play for England. He has scored over 200 career tries, 101 of which have come at Hull FC.
“It makes me feel old looking at some of those video clips where it’s all blurry but the memories are still there like it was yesterday,” he said. “It’s coming up to 20 years and it just flies by.
“I’ve got some great memories and I’ve made some great friends. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”
Briscoe also laid out his ambitions for 2026. He added: “I’m coming to the back end now but I still want to create more memories and win something else with you boys.
“If I’ve got any message from it all, it’s just enjoy it, take what comes at you, and make the most of the opportunities we’ve got. A lot has been said about what we can do as a group going into this season and where the club is heading, and to be part of that is massive.
“To do it too at the club who gave me my first opportunity when I started means something special to me.”