Leeds Rhinos star’s bold Jake Connor claim as he assesses trio of signings

One Leeds Rhinos star has assessed the club’s recruitment and paid particular praise to new signing Jake Connor whilst also commenting on the devastating wing duo that is Maika Sivo and Ryan Hall.

This time last year, Lachie Miller was one of the new signings but the full-back is now in his second pre-season as a Leeds Rhinos player although it’s been a frustrating one of the 30-year-old as he rehabs an injury sustained Down Under in the off-season.

Miller missed the club’s Boxing Day clash against Wakefield Trinity meaning that new recruit Jake Connor starred at full-back, scoring two tries as the Rhinos won 18-16, something that maybe could have been predicted given Miller’s previous comments about the ex-Huddersfield man.

The Australian had appeared on The Lot Pod, an independent Leeds Rhinos podcast, in December for the Christmas special and spoke about each of the club’s new signings and gave quite the plaudits to Connor.

After speaking on the ‘spray’ he got from his new teammate when they faced off during the 2024 campaign, Miller claimed: He’s got some of the best hands I reckon I’ve ever seen and played with,” which is huge praise given Miller played alongside Kayln Ponga in the NRL.

Connor’s hands were certainly evident with his show-and-go dummy to score on Boxing Day, something that Rhinos fans could see plenty more of in 2025.

‘Two props on the wing’ – Leeds Rhinos full-back on Hall and Sivo

Connor is just one of three recruits that Leeds have made in the backs with the other two being wingers Ryan Hall and Maika Sivo, or as Miller labelled them – ‘the two props on the wing’.

The Rhinos will have two of the most powerful wingers in Super League next year as the competition’s all-time leading try-scorer returns to Headingley, joined by a man with over 100 NRL tries.

Their arrivals mean that Ash Handley looks likely to move to centre, something Miller alluded to and that has since been confirmed with Leeds revealing their squad numbers on New Years Day.

“Last year, we had two of the best wingers in the comp,” Miller claimed.

“Poor old Fus (David Fusitu’a) couldn’t get out and we’ve seen what Ash (Handley) did at the start of the year but I’m really excited to see him move in a bit closer to the ball.”

Discussing the impact and size of the new wingers, Miller revealed: “Ryan actually said it training the other day ‘I’ve never ever since I debuted, played in a team where I’ve not been the heaviest winger’. Then I look at Maika and I’m like ‘Do you have any body fat on you?’

“It’s exciting for obviously for us as a club, but for me at full-back.”

Specifically on Sivo, who rejoins his former Parramatta Eels boss Brad Arthur, Miller said: “It’s funny to watch people try and tackle him. It just doesn’t work. In the wrestle room, he just sort of stands and makes people look like under 10s.

“When you see them standing next to each other, you think how are they wingers and then also how are they on the same team.”