Jake Connor outlines reason why he’s thriving at Leeds Rhinos

Revitalised play-maker Jake Connor has revealed what is behind his strong start to life at Leeds Rhinos.

The former Hull FC and Huddersfield man joined Rhinos last autumn on a two-year deal, after being released from the final season of his Giants contract.

He is ever-present at full-back for Leeds in their four competitive games so far this term, scoring two tries and 25 goals, including 14 – a club record for a debutant – in last month’s 92-0 Betfred Challenge Cup thrashing of Wests Warriors.

An initially sceptical Headingley crowd have already been won over and Connor insisted playing with a smile on his face has made a huge difference.

“I’ve probably not enjoyed myself for the last two or three years and that has probably shown in my performances,” he accepted.

“It’s such a good group here, the way we play suits my style and thankfully everything has fallen into place, but there’s still room for improvement.

“Brad [Arthur, Leeds’ coach] wants game day to be fun and that’s how I like to play. If I’m not enjoying my rugby, it shows in my performance, but I’m loving it here.”

Arthur is known as a tough taskmaster and Connor admitted: “Sometimes you don’t like it, but it keeps you on your toes. He’s always striving for improvement and that’s something I need.”

Jake Connor explains Brad Arthur impact since Leeds Rhinos move

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The ex-England man produced some moments of magic in last Sunday’s 38-24 win over Castleford Tigers, scoring a try and five goals, but also felt responsible for a late blip when the visitors scored three touchdowns in the final quarter.

“We were pretty good for 60 minutes and got a bit sloppy at the back end of the game,” he reflected.

“With my experience, I probably let us down a little bit with my game-management, which is something to learn from, but apart from that, we played some good rugby.

“We are disappointed with how we ended the game, but ultimately we wanted the two points and got them.”

Connor is confident Rhinos are on track to get back into the play-offs this year after successive eighth-placed finishes.

He revealed: “I was optimistic when I first spoke to Brad and knew the direction the club were going in.

“With the players we’ve got, we’ve got to fulfil our potential. We’ve seen some good early signs, but there’s still a lot to improve on.”

Rhinos face a stern challenge on Saturday when they visit a Catalans Dragons side desperate to get off the mark after three successive defeats.

“It is going to be a tough test over there, but we are looking to build week-in, week-out and if we can learn [from last Sunday] we’ll be heading in the right direction,” Connor said.

“It’s always tough going over there. They have got a big pack and the fact they’ve lost three games doesn’t make it any easier, but I am definitely confident.”