Leeds Rhinos and former England ace Jake Connor has revealed he wants to stay in rugby league as a coach when his playing days are over.
The utility-back joined Leeds from Huddersfield Giants in the off-season, having also played at the top level for Hull FC.
One of the game’s most talented – if sometimes controversial – characters still has some good playing years left in him, but at 30 thoughts inevitably turn to what happens once the boots are hung up.
Connor has already dipped his toe in coaching waters as boss of National Conference club Siddal, who are due visit London-based Hammersmith Hills Hoists on Saturday in round one of the Challenge Cup, weather permitting.
Siddal are a powerhouse of the community game and topped the Conference Premier Division last season, only to be beaten in the Grand Final by Hunslet ARLFC.
“We should have won it last year,” Connor admitted. “But if we’d won it, I would have stopped coaching – now I’ve got to go again this year.
“I’ve done it for 10 years now. I coached Ovenden for a good six years, since I was 20, then that club folded and I did three years at Huddersfield Irish, so I’ve coached for a long time.”
Asked if coaching is a future career option, Connor told Serious About Rugby League: “Definitely – maybe an attack coach or something along those lines.
“I don’t know if I could handle being a head coach, what they do, but I’d like to stay in rugby somehow.”
With Brad Arthur, who spent 10 years at the helm of NRL giants Parramatta Eels, now in charge of Leeds Rhinos, Connor reckons every day is a school day.
“You pick up stuff from every coach you play under,” he said. “There’s always something new to learn.
“I’ve definitely picked a lot of things up from Brad. Speaking in front of a group is not easy and the way he does it and the way he comes across is a skill in itself.”
Connor pitted himself against one of the European game’s big names 11 months ago when Siddal faced Wakefield Trinity in the Challenge Cup.
The amateurs gave a spirited account of themselves, trailing only 12-6 at half-time before going down 70-6 in front of a full-house crowd of 900 on their own ground.
The winners of this Saturday’s tie – which is expected to go ahead, despite the recent freezing weather – will travel to League One side Midlands Hurricanes in round two later this month.
Whoever comes through that faces a potential home match against Super League opposition in round three, which is drawn next Tuesday.
Siddal will go into this weekend’s game as favourites, but Connor admitted it wasn’t the ideal draw.
“It’s a four or five journey there and four or five hours back,” he pointed out. “They have got a few Aussies in their side, I’ve seen a few clips of them – though not too much – and they look all right.
“We are missing quite a few players, but we’ve still got a team that should be going down and winning.”
