Leeds Rhinos signing Matt Frawley makes 'better player' pledge, hails squad and reveals 'why I'm here'

Frawley, 28, arrived in Leeds last weekend to begin a two-year contract and trained with his new teammates for the first time yesterday (Tuesday). That began his second stint in England, following 22 appearances for Huddersfield Giants in 2019.

Huddersfield struggled throughout Frawley’s time there, finishing 10th in the table and he left after just one season. Ironically, he was replaced by Aidan Sezer, his predecessor in Rhinos’ number seven jersey. Having begun his top-flight career at Canterbury Bulldogs, in 2017-18, he joined Canberra Raiders on his return from England and was a try scorer for them in their two-point loss to Newcastle Knights in last season’s play-offs.

That was his 53rd NRL appearance and he reckons he is a cut above the player Super League saw four years ago. “Definitely,” he told the Yorkshire Evening Post. “I learned a lot from that experience, bad and good.

“It was a tough season, but in terms of preparing me for this, it has definitely helped. Just little things like living in this country and being away from home, I have already done that so it’s not as though it’s a foreign experience for me now. I can come here and just knuckle down with my footy. I think this time around I am a lot better player and a more experienced player.”

His previous spell didn’t put him off Super League, but he stressed if he was going to return, it would have to be for the correct reasons. “I’m pleased to be back,” Frawley added. “When you leave you’re never really sure if you’re going to come back or not.

“I was always open to it, but it would have to be for the right opportunity and the right club. When I talked to Rohan [Smith, Rhinos’ coach] and Gary [Hetherington, chief executive] and there was an opportunity to come over, it was a genuine option for me. Talks progressed, I was impressed with what they were saying and I wanted to come to a big club and challenge myself again. That’s why I am here.”

While it will take some time to get to know his new teammates, Leeds feels like home already, following his previous stint in England. Frawley recalled: “We were based in Huddersfield, me and my fiance, but we used to come to Leeds all the time.

“We love the city and that was a big part of coming back. We are living here in Leeds now and having some familiar faces here from Huddersfield, in Grixy [assistant-coach Scott Grix] and Rhyse Martin, who I played with at the Bulldogs, has made it heaps easier. I can just come in, get to know the lads and the coaches and go from there.”

Rhinos will have a new spine next year, with Frawley alongside 2022 Man of Steel Brodie Croft in the halves, Lachie Miller - who arrived in Leeds yesterday - at full-back and Andy Ackers as number nine. The spotlight will be on Frawley and Croft in particular, but the former Raiders man is “really pumped” to be working with his new partner.

“When I saw he was coming across, I was really excited,” he said of Croft, who was signed for a six-figure fee from Salford Red Devils. “He was a quality player back home and coming over here, his game has gone to another level I think.

“I know he’s excited and with Lachie coming over and Andy Ackers, it’s pretty much a new spine for the club. There’s going to be some feeling out periods and hopefully we can get some time before Christmas all together on the field and we can sort all that sort of stuff out. I am really hopeful and excited we are going to have a lot of success with those blokes.”

Frawley has played at Headingley, as part of a Giants team beaten 38-18 by Leeds in front of a near-14,000 Good Friday crowd. Despite the result, that experience left him wanting more. “I can’t wait,” he said. “It is such a famous ground, with so much history.

"The fans are a massive supporter base, they turn out in numbers and to play there as a home player is going to be pretty special. I experienced it once as an away player and that was really good, so as a home player it’s going to be even better.”

It is early days, but Frawley has been impressed by the spirit among his new colleagues. “We arrived in Manchester on Saturday and came straight over to Leeds,” he said. “I came in [on Monday] and met everyone and [Tuesday] was my first session on the field, so it’s really exciting. I’ve got plenty of names to remember and new faces, but from that field session alone I think there’s a really good feeling in the group and I am stoked to be here.

“You can tell how keen they are to learn and listen and likewise, I want to do that. There’s a good core group of players here and also some really exciting young players. It is a fairly young group, as everyone knows, so it is really good to be here. Hopefully we can come together as a group and I can add to it and all the new boys can add their experience and we can have some success.”