Leeds Rhinos 'full of good people' says Aidan Sezer but Headingley return's strictly business for Hull FC ace

Sezer will be one of the visitors’ main attacking threats on Friday evening, after revitalising his career since returning to Betfred Super League from NRL club Wests Tigers this year. The scrum-half was a Man of Steel nominee with Huddersfield Giants in 2020 and is fifth on the current leaderboard, but had mixed fortunes during 37 games in his two seasons at Leeds.

Signed ahead of the 2022 campaign, he was influential in Rhinos’ charge to Old Trafford under coach Rohan Smith that year, scoring a golden-point winning try at Catalans Dragons and the last-gasp touchdown which beat Castleford Tigers in the final match of the regular season to secure fifth place on the table. However, he missed the Grand Final because of concussion - after being fouled by his ex-Canberra Raiders teammate John Bateman in Leeds’ shock semi-final win at Wigan Warriors - and was denied a Rhinos farewell when a similar setback, suffered in training, kept him out of the last five games of 2023.

Sezer insisted: “I look back on my time at Leeds with fond memories. We made a Grand Final - though obviously I didn’t play because of the concussion protocol. My second year there was a bit of a topsy-turvy one - a lot went on - and they obviously had a tough year again last year. That club is full of good people, I still have good friends there and I wish them all the best, but that’s all in the past now.”

Sezer reckons his season in the NRL was crucial to the form he has shown so far this term. “I feel rejuvenated for going back home and getting myself in the shape I needed to be in and I came back here with renewed motivation,” he reflected. “I got back to the footy I know I have still got and I am really happy with where I am at the moment.”

With Leeds sitting fourth in the table, one place and a single point ahead of Hull, Friday is a big game for both clubs. Sezer, though, stressed he won’t be approaching it any differently. “I want to perform the best I can each and every game,” he added. “When we come up against Leeds I’ll be doing that and we’ll see how we go.”

The move to Hull reunited Sezer with his former Leeds teammates Richie Myler, Zak Hardaker and Tom Briscoe. Hardaker and Briscoe are likely to be in the visitors’ squad, but Myler hung up his boots last year to become chief executive at Hull.

Sezer isn’t surprised to see him thriving in an off-field role - though it has come a bit sooner than he expected. “He has always been an intelligent operator,” Sezer said. “He understands the game more than most - he has been there and done it and played for a long time. He knows the ins and outs of being a professional rugby league player, the hard work involved and he is doing a good job.”