The 27-year-old will once again finish the season as Bramley’s top points scorer with his metronome right boot having now notched a total of 1,362 points in 104 games for the West Leeds outfit and there may well be more to come in the 2009 season finale, the Conference Grand Final at Warrington on Sunday 4th October.
The unassuming and intuitive stand off come centre admitted: “I’m just doing my job! If I’m the one taking the kicks then it helps the team if they go over! I’m only one small part of the 13 players out there and my team mates have been consistently good enough to give me the opportunity to rack up the points.”
Drake has etched his name into Bramley history with dazzling array of records including record all time points scorer, second all time try scorer (68) and record points haul for a season since making his Buffaloes debut against Thornhill Trojans in the 2005 Challenge Cup. He’s averages over 13 points a game and has twice notched 36 points in a match.
“Personal records will count for nothing if we don’t win the Grand Final. We are all desperate for success after three losses in the last four finals and we don’t want to be known as chokers!
“The whole team has to be fully focused as we have been for much of the season. In past seasons we might just have taken the opposition for granted but there will be no prospect of that happening this year.
“We’ve learnt some valuable lessons on the big days and now we have to take those experiences onto the field and make sure we don’t slip up,” added Drake who holds the rugby league world record for consecutive successful conversions
“This is a team game in every sense of the word and if we perform as a team to the best of our ability then we’ll have a very good chance of grabbing victory!” he added.
Buffaloes coach Mark Butterill is keen to heap praise on Drake: Paul in my opinion is very very much underrated, not by his fellow players but probably by a lot of people within the game.
“When the awards are handed out his name does not get mentioned enough for me. He’s always expected to have a good game, organise everything and very rarely does he not rise to the challenge; that its self is very hard to do consistently.
“His desire to win is second to none and his leadership qualities are immense. Yes he wears his heart on his sleeve at times but his desire and determination to win another Grand Final for the Buffaloes burns very brightly,” added Butterill.
Tickets can be purchased from the RFL with the Buffaloes running a fleet of coaches to the Grand Final. For more details contact the RFL 0844-856-1113 or visit www.rugbyleaguetickets.co.uk <http://www.rugbyleaguetickets.co.uk/> . To book a place on the Bramley coaches please contact Pam on 07972097884.