CAREER IN FOCUS: #GASKY150

As Lee Gaskell is set to hit 150 Super League appearances tonight, we take a look back at his career

By Jack Robinson

Flexible back, Lee Gaskell, is in his third season at the Giants, having joined from the Bradford Bulls back in 2017. Gaskell’s professional Rugby League career began back in 2010, with his home-town club, St Helens.

In his first season at the Saints, Gaskell made three appearances for the club, as they reached the 2010 Betfred Super League Grand Final. He scored his first try for the Saints on his debut, however the redvee lost 30-20 against the Catalans Dragons. The versatile back also played in the two following weeks, as the Saints beat Harlequins, now known as London Broncos, 32-18 at Knowsley Road. Gaskell also played the following week, as St Helens turned on the style, to beat Wakefield Trinity 50-6.

The following season Gaskell was a more regular figure in the St Helens side, as he played 25 games in the Betfred Super League, scoring eleven tries. The Saints also made the grand final in 2011 which Gaskell started in, but he couldn’t prevent them from losing 32-16 to the Leeds Rhinos at Old Trafford.

However, after his breakthrough season, Gaskell suffered a few injuries, and never really re-established his spot at the team’s leading stand-off. In the 2012 and 2013 campaigns, Gaskell only appeared eleven and three times for the Saints, as he spent the majority of the 2013 campaign on loan at the Salford Red Devils.

The Red Devils finished bottom of the table during Gaskell’s season at the club, the same year the Giants won the league leaders shield. The former St Helens man played 17 times for the Red Devils during his loan spell, scoring eight tries, that included a hat-trick for Salford in a 44-30 win over the London Broncos.

Lee Gaskell in Round 17 🔥

✅ 3 Tries
✅ 3 Man of Steel Points
✅ Top 10 in Man of Steel Standings pic.twitter.com/MFXZ7DXiLw

— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) June 11, 2019

The following year Gaskell left the Saints permanently, as he signed for the Bradford Bulls, who were still in the Super League. He featured 21 times for the Bulls that season, scoring five tries, but it wasn’t enough to save Bradford from relegation, as the competition was reduced from 14 teams to 12.

COAST TO COAST! 🌊

Lee Gaskell puts on the burners for @SalfordDevils against Widnes in 2013 🔥 pic.twitter.com/niWva9VQDK

— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) March 21, 2018

Despite their relegation, Gaskell stayed with the Yorkshire club for the next two seasons, where they were almost promoted back to Super League at the first attempt, but they were narrowly beaten 24-16 by Wakefield Trinity in the Qualifiers final at Belle Vue. In his penultimate season with the Bulls in 2015, Gaskell was named the Championship player of the year, before he moved to the Giants in 2017.

Gaskell made 20 appearances for us in his first season at the John Smith’s Stadium, scoring nine tries. We finished in 8^th place in Gaskell’s first season as a Giant, finishing one point above the Warrington Wolves.

Gaskell with the break and McIntosh finishes for @Giantsrl to end the game in style 👌

A win live on @SkySportsRL to earn the Giants 2 key points 👏 #SLSalHud pic.twitter.com/sgls1hgpsN

— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) July 4, 2019

Last season was an even better one for ourselves, as we finished in 5^th place in the regular season, Gaskell playing 18 times, scoring twice. Unfortunately, we didn’t make the end of season playoffs, as we finished in 6^th place.

This season hasn’t gone as planned thus far, Gaskell has scored four tries and added 13 assists in 18 games so far, also adding 25 goals for us. He has also made 1377 metres, with an average gain of 7.44 metres per carry.