Konrad Hurrell reveals the REAL reason behind Leeds Rhinos exit

In 2019, Konrad Hurrell was one of a number of big signings at Leeds Rhinos alongside Trent Merrin and Tui Lolohea.

Hurrell would become a cult hero at the club and spent much longer at the club than Merrin and Lolohea.

He starred in the 2020 Challenge Cup Final win over Salford Red Devils in which he assisted Tom Briscoe’s opening try as Leeds won a 14th Challenge Cup.

However, he would leave the club for St Helens in 2022 after a lukewarm 2021 campaign and Hurrell opened up on his Leeds exit on The Bench.

Hurrell said: “Yeah, I think it was that year. Yeah, 2020, I think it didn’t help when we had the COVID because I was just at home the whole time, just me and my partner in that room.

“Then coming over 2021, I still trying to process it and I got injured again in preseason and my head just went, so I wish I finished a bit better at Leeds because I love every minute I had at Leeds.

“They flew me over here and I wish I came earlier to Super League because I loved every moment of it. They looked after me there really well but I think that was the toughest moment of my career hands down.

“To be fair I know you say bad things about the fans but the fans were always positive about me in my last year until I moved here to St Helens. They were great with me in that 20 and 21.

“I know they always bag players coming here, always come for a payday but to be fair, they were OK to me until I came to Saints.”

Hurrell also called for all games televised:

“I reckon every game should be televised. I know a lot of people coming in here, but if you want our game to be big, people from Australia want to watch it, maybe in America or whatever it is.

“We watch every NRL game, all the young players here watch every NRL game. I think that’s my biggest thing, it’s more promoting the game out there.

“When I was playing NRL, I only knew a few players. A lot of the boys here know pretty much all the NRL players. So I think that’s just by watching them every game. So I reckon that’s a big thing for me.

“I’m kind of like talking about back home, like, it’s like 10am, they’re not doing anything just sitting there. If they just watch Super League, they’re not doing anything, just watch it.”