
Half-back Matt Frawley has tipped a Leeds Rhinos signing to take Super League by storm. Frawley reckons Fiji Test winger Maika Sivo will be a big hit in the European competition after scoring 104 tries in 115 NRL games for Parramatta Eels – including 17 from just 12 appearances last term.
“We’re hoping he can do that for us this year, but we’ll have to play our role in that as well – give him plenty of early ball and I think he’ll be really good for us,” Frawley predicted of the 31-year-old addition to Rhinos’ backline.
“He is a big body. I’ve played against him a few times, but you don’t get a real indication of how big he is until you’ve spent some time with him and you compare him to some of the other fellas.
“He has been really good so far. He lives around the corner from me, which is nice – we’ve been able to travel into training and everything together. He’s a great fella and his record speaks for itself.”
Though best known for his finishing ability, Sivo’s strong carries from near his own line will also be crucial for Rhinos this year.
“Everyone is wanting to be a bit more direct, so we can play a bit more on the front foot and a bit more up-tempo,” Frawley said.
“That’s something that has been a focus in pre-season and will be all year. There’s plenty of strike there, but it’s about playing on the front foot and also holding on to the ball.
“That’s the big thing; last year we were the worst team for errors in the comp and no matter how good your team is, if you’re dropping the ball and giving the opposition easy possession, it makes it hard.
“We are trying to focus on those fundamentals and the basic parts of the game. That’s what the best teams do, they nail all those boring, basic things and we want to be known for that as a team this year. Then all the other stuff – the strike and that sort of thing – is the cream on top.”
With three weeks until Super League kicks off, Leeds Rhinos will get an indication of what sort of shape they are in when Wigan Warriors visit AMT Headingley on Sunday for Ash Handley’s testimonial game.
Frawley admitted: “You always go into a year with optimism and hope it is going to be a good one and this is no different.
“It feels a bit more familiar to me now, this being my second year I know what to expect and how things work a bit more than this time last year.
“That’s really exciting and it has been a good pre-season. You’re never going to go backwards if you’re working hard – that’s probably the number one thing you have to do in pre-season, just to get the load into your body and a bit of resilience.
“When you go through hard sessions as a team, you bond and learn about each other a bit more.
“It’s not always enjoyable, but it’s something you’ve got to do. Every team is working hard at this time of the year, but it has been good, it has been a slog, but enjoyable as well, which is important.”
The Australian joined Leeds ahead of last season on a deal which expires this autumn. “We have had a few discussions, but it’s just [a case of] see how the year pans out, really,” Frawley said of his Leeds Rhinos contract situation.
“It’s still early days so we’ll just tick off some good footy at the start of the year – hopefully – and we’ll visit that later on, but everything’s fine so far.”
