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   Salford's Alker after top tackle tally
by Mark Bright Salford will be aiming to finish the Super League season by having the top three tacklers in the engage Super League stats chart. As the competition enters the final round of the regular season, Reds skipper Malcolm Alker tops the tackle charts with a staggering 948 tackles. He is followed in second place by team mate Luke Adamson with 894 hits. Jamie Langley of the Bradford Bulls has 854 and Salford Loose Forward Luke Swain is one tackle behind Langley in fourth with 853 tackles. The Reds' Captain is renowned for his tackling and it will be the fourth time in Super League history that Alker has topped the League’s tackling chart. Alker holds the record in 2001 for being the first player in the history of Super League to top over 1000 tackles for a season, in fact he is the only British player to have ever managed this. He will, however, need to achieve a season's best of 52 if he is to repeat this outstanding feat for a second time. Alker, who has played his entire professional rugby league career at The Willows, has had another magnificent season leading from the front, and only he and Swain have started every game this season. Reds' fans who have followed them on their travels this season will have seen super-human efforts from their captain chasing down the likes of James Roby over the length of the field. It is his energy and enthusiasm in defence that has made him one of the most feared competitors in the competition. Head Coach Shaun McRae said: "Malcolm's statistics are especially phenomenal this season when you think he is used to being an 80 minute player and this year he has shared the responsibility with Robbie Paul." Alker can't wait for a second crack at the Leeds Rhinos having beaten them once this season already and said: 'It is my job to rally the troops and make them understand we are much better than our position indicates, Friday is a great challenge for the team. "We have a massive task ahead of us but I know - and will make sure that the rest of the lads know - that, if we just concentrate on doing our jobs, that we are more than good enough to end the season on a high."
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