RIKKI Sheriffe is confident that he and his two brothers can help fire Cougars to promotion as they gear up for next week’s League One opener at home to York City Knights.

The former Bradford Bulls winger will spend the entire season at Cougar Park on loan from Halifax and is determined to take the club straight back to the Championship.

The 30-year-old’s acquisition has made it a family affair as his younger siblings Jesse, a 24-year-old full-back, and Jode, a 28-year-old prop, also play for Paul March’s side.

The three brothers hail from Bradford but are now based in Halifax, where they work for their father’s printing business, Calder Labels.

Ex-Super League star Sheriffe has played at the highest level in both codes having moved to Aviva Premiership outfit Newcastle Falcons following his departure from Odsal in 2010.

Sheriffe, who has scored two tries in two appearances since joining Cougars, said: “It has been great playing for Keighley but the bonus of playing with my brothers makes it even better.

“The three of us are competitive and I think it’s bringing the best out in us.

“We have our standards and hopefully we can drive other players up with us as well.

“There are us three brothers and it makes us very proud to play together.

“It’s just unfortunate that we haven’t been able to do it at the highest level.

“Perhaps with the rub of the green we might have been able to do so, but it’s great to do it now at Keighley Cougars.

“Even though I’m coming to the back end of my career age-wise, it’s nice to be able to tick this box.

“We are close as brothers and we help each other out as much as we can.

“The fact that Jesse plays in the backs means I’ve tipped him up on quite a few things. He’s having a stormer so far and hopefully it will continue.”

Sheriffe took Halifax’s Under-20s last season and was ready to focus on coaching, but the team disbanded and he regained his appetite for playing.

He explained: “I was coaching Halifax’s Under-20s last season and I thought that was the way I wanted to go.

“As the year went on, I missed playing and wanted to get my boots on and give it another go.

“Unfortunately, Halifax got rid of the Under-20s, so I thought ‘I’ll give playing another go’.

“I did pre-season with Halifax, loved it, and then it was just unfortunate that we have a big squad and I wasn’t at the top of the pecking order.

“Halifax miss out, but Keighley benefit and we have been doing well in the back division and scoring tries. We’re getting good defensively as well.”

Halifax have included a 72-hour recall clause allowing them to take Sheriffe back to The Shay should he be required by Richard Marshall.

But Sheriffe, who began his career at Halifax before a spell with Harlequins RL and then a switch to his boyhood club at Odsal, feels his experience and quality can help March’s team as they chase promotion.

The Bradford-born winger said: “Keighley are a Championship side with Championship players, so that’s where we need to get back to.

“People have said we’re favourites but Marchy has handled that very well and the pressure hasn’t got to us.

“The only pressure that we feel is the pressure on ourselves to do well and to win week in and week out.

“It has been disappointing to be out both cups, not so much the Challenge Cup but the iPro League Cup because that was a competition we wanted to win.

“It’s our league cup, so it would have given us a massive boost and been nice to focus on that and the league.

“The main thing is the league, though, and making sure we get up.

“The team goal is obviously to get up but my personal goals are making sure I get everything I want to out of every game, whether it be a certain amount of carries and tackles made.

“If you do certain things in a game, then you’re going to reap the rewards.

“I want to keep my standards high and I don’t think anyone in this team feels that they are doing someone else’s job as well as their own. If you’ve got that, then you’re on to a winner.

“I have been full-time for many years and I know how to conduct myself on and off the field. That’s not blowing my own trumpet, but I do think it gives you that edge over the guys opposite you.”

Sheriffe certainly has an outstanding pedigree and the highlights of his career include a two-season spell at Bradford between 2009 and 2010.

He remembered: “It was definitely great to be there and I had some good times with some great players.

“I scored the winning try in the Leeds-Bradford derby at Odsal in front of 15,000 people.

“That was just an unreal feeling because my dad used to take me and my brothers down to the Bulls when we were young kids.

“When I had just finished my contract with the Bulls and I was negotiating a few things with a number of Super League clubs.

“Then Newcastle Falcons came in for me and I had always wanted to try rugby union from my days at Harlequins RL with Henry Paul.

“Henry told me ‘you should have a go at it’, and Alan Tait gave me the opportunity which I was very grateful for.

“It was a tough time to be at Newcastle and it would have been nice to be able to develop my game in the 15-man code.

“They got relegated and we just parted ways.”