Leeds Rhinos 2019: Konrad Hurrell set to become a centre of attention

BLOCKBUSTING TONGAN centre Konrad Hurrell could be a signing to set Betfred Super League alight in 2019.
Leeds Rhinos' Konrad Hurrell.Leeds Rhinos' Konrad Hurrell.
Leeds Rhinos' Konrad Hurrell.

The powerhouse three-quarter has joined Leeds Rhinos on a three-year contract and his hard-running style looks made for the attack-minded European game.

“I hope it will suit me,” Hurrell said of the way Super League is played.

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“Obviously they have signed me for a reason and I have come here and trained hard and I want to do what they’ve brought me here for.

Konrad Hurrell runs at Castleford's Corey Aston.Konrad Hurrell runs at Castleford's Corey Aston.
Konrad Hurrell runs at Castleford's Corey Aston.

“I don’t know much about Super League, but I’ll just put my head down and work hard and do my best for the team.”

As a marquee player – with some of his wage exempt from the salary cap – big things will be expected of the 27-year-old import, but he insists he is just one of the boys.

“They obviously make fun of it, the marquee signing, but I am the same as them and the same as the young kid who has just signed,” he said of his team-mates.

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“We are all the same, it’s all down to how hard you train and how you show yourself on the field. I will just come in and do my best. If it’s not what they want I just have to try harder.”

He added: “It is crazy how they train here, they just bang each other and go hard and at the moment everyone’s fighting for positions.

“Dave Furner and Kev [Sinfield] have picked a big squad and a good squad and it is hard to secure positions. Everyone has to train hard and work hard to hold their position.”

Furner is a former Tonga assistant-coach so Hurrell knew what to expect from Rhinos’ new boss.

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“Dave is a good coach and he is a legend of the game as well,” he said.

“He has been at the top of the NRL and Super League as well as a player.

“To be playing under him is a blessing. I have been coached by him before and that made life easier when I came over here.”

Rhinos splashed out on Hurrell – and fellow marquee recruit Trent Merrin – in response to the trauma of last year when they finished ninth in the table and went perilously close to relegation.

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Hurrell is aware of what happened in 2018 and confident a repeat is not on the cards.

“Just from training, the boys are all positive,” he observed.

“Obviously it is a long season and when you are losing it is hard to look on the positive side, but everyone wants to move forward from last year.

“They are still hurting from last year, but we need to move on and work hard and hopefully we’ll turn it around this year.

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“We need a good start just to put ourselves in a good situation. It is tough with our first four games all being away, but we’ve got to put that aside.

“Once we get off the bus we’ve just got to play the Leeds Rhinos way and give it to them.

“We can’t do much about [the fixture list], but we have got to go out and play our best and start good.

“Everyone’s been saying we’ve made good signings and we’re going to be trying to turn it around, but we’ve got to look after ourselves first and go out and play hard and hopefully we’ll come away with wins.”