Leeds Rhinos v Hull FC: Liam Sutcliffe sets sights on 200 Super League games for Headingley club

The 27-year-old is Rhinos’ longest-serving player, having made his debut nine years ago and tonight’s visit of Hull will be his 170th Betfred Super League game for the club.

The previous home match, against Catalans Dragons, was his 200th Rhinos appearance in all competitions and Sutcliffe reflected: “If you’d said to me at 18 ‘you’ll end up getting your 200th game for Leeds at some point’, I don’t know if I’d have believed it.

“There’s been some brilliant players who have played 200 games for this club so I am pretty happy with that.

“There’s a board at Kirkstall [Rhinos’ training base] that lists players who’ve played 200 Super League games ; the likes of JP [Jamie Peacock], Kev [Sinfield], Rob [Burrow], Mags [Danny McGuire], Kal [Kallum Watkins], Hally [Ryan Hall], Abbo [Carl Ablett] are on it and I am hoping to get on that as well.

“I’ve still got a few years left in me, so I’ll see how I go.”

Sutcliffe, who missed the second half of last season because of knee surgery, has started at centre in all four of Rhinos’ games this year.

“I am really enjoying my rugby,” he enthused.

“It has been good to get over the injury and I am enjoying being back in the centre and hopefully we can have a pretty good year.”

He described his form so far as “not too bad”.

Sutcliffe said: “There’s obviously things to work on, which is to be expected, but I am just glad to get a few runs at centre.

“I want to kick on this year and stay there for the year and hopefully put in some decent performances, like the last time I played there.

“I am all right with where I am, I know I have still got a fair bit to improve on and hopefully I’ll click at some point and I’ll be happy with it.”

Rhinos are also in buoyant mood after getting off the mark for the season with a 34-18 success at Wakefield Trinity a week ago.