Kevin Sinfield - Career

Career

Sinfield began his career at Waterhead ARLFC. He signed for Leeds RLFC in August 1997 and made his first team debut aged 16 against the Sheffield Eagles. He went on to make three further appearances during the 1997 and 1998 seasons. Scoring his first try against Huddersfield in September 1998. 1999 was a breakthrough season for Sinfield, making 21 appearances and scoring 2 tries. He was unlucky not to be selected for the 1999 Challenge Cup Final at the old Wembley Stadium. Leeds defeated the then London Broncos 52–16.

In 2007, Sinfield became the first Leeds player to score in every round of a Super League season, a feat which he repeated in the 2011 season including kicking 6 out of 7 goals in the Rhinos' fourth Grand final victory over St Helens in 5 years

Sinfield celebrated his testimonial season in 2008. He was the man-of-the-match, scoring seven points as Leeds defeated Melbourne 11–4 at Elland Road. During the season Sinfield set a club record by scoring in 63 consecutive matches. He also set a Super League record by scoring in 52 consecutive Super League games. Sinfield scored his 2,000th point for the club as Leeds defeated St Helens for the second successive year in the Grand Final. Leeds won 24–16, with Sinfield successfully kicking four goals. It was the first time Leeds had ever won back to back titles. It was also the first time that a Super League team had won both the World Club Challenge and the Grand Final in the same calendar year.

During the 2009 season, Sinfield became only the second player, after Lewis Jones, to score 1,000 goals for Leeds. Sinfield capped the 2009 season by winning the Harry Sunderland Trophy for his performance as he led Leeds to victory in a third successive Grand Final. Leeds defeated St Helens 18–10, with Sinfield scoring six of the points, including a drop goal. With victory, Sinfield became the first player in history to captain four championship-winning teams. He dedicated the win to the recently deceased former Leeds player John Holmes.

Sinfield captained Leeds from stand-off half in the 2011 Challenge Cup final, kicking only one goal from four attempts in their loss against Wigan. However at the end of the season he extended his record to captaining five championship-winning teams after Leeds Rhinos' victory over St Helens in the 2011 Super League Grand Final. He duly extended that tally in 2012 as Leeds again came from 5th in the regular season to triumph at Old Trafford in the 2012 Super League Grand Final 26-18 against Warrington. He also turned in a Man of the Match performance winning the Harry Sunderland Trophy with a try, a penalty and 4 conversions.

Sinfield became the all-time top points scorer for the Leeds Rhinos early in the 2012 season.

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