Mystery over new signing as Jake Connor makes history: Leeds Rhinos talking points

Leeds Rhinos open their Betfred Super League campaign on Saturday afternoon when they face promoted Wakefield Trinity in an intriguing derby at AMT Headingley. Pre-season hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing, but there’s a confident mood around the club – including among some usually pessimistic fans. Here’s five talking points ahead of Super League round one.

1: Brad Arthur’s attitude to the Challenge Cup summed up what Leeds’ coach is all about. Rhinos would probably have preferred to avoid non-league opposition in their first match, but Arthur named close to his strongest-available side against Wests Warriors, took the tie seriously and - without trying to embarrass the amateurs - sent his men out to get the job done in a professional manner.

Arthur is trying to develop a winning culture and his no nonsense approach will stand Rhinos in good stead for when the real challenges begin this weekend. Injuries have been a concern in pre-season, but Rhinos won all three games, a couple of players made a successful return to fitness and the new signings appear to have slotted in well, other than the luckless Maika Sivo whose season-ending anterior cruciate ligament setback was a spanner in the works. Whether Rhinos are genuine top-four contenders this year remains to be seen, but they are starting the league campaign in a positive frame of mind.

2: Rhinos’ late-notice signing of Australian Ethan Clark-Wood was a surprise in several ways. First, he’s an unknown quantity, having never played in the NRL. Secondly, they have replaced winger Sivo with a centre - and Rhinos already have Ash Handley and Harry Newman in his position, with Jake Connor as potential back-up.

As an overseas quota player, presumably he has been brought in to be a regular in the matchday 17, but asked last week if Handley would revert to a wing following Sivo’s injury, the coach was adamant that isn’t the case, so at the moment it’s a mystery what role Clark-Wood will play.

That said, Rhinos wanted more depth in the backs before Sivo was signed and a couple of their young centres - Ned McCormack and Max Simpson - have spent a long time on the injury list, so it might simply be a case of creating extra competition for places. Presumably Clark-Wood won’t be earning what Sivo is, so there may be salary cap space left over for a forward signing if necessary.

3: Connor has been Rhinos’ player of pre-season. He was man of the match on Boxing Day against Wakefield, starred when Rhinos beat Wigan in Handley’s testimonial and scored 32 points - a club record on debut - last weekend. It’s still not clear where he slots into the 17 if and when everyone is fit, but he is building a compelling case for inclusion somewhere and his goal kicking - 14 from 16 attempts against Wests - only strengthens that claim. With full-back Lachie Miller set to miss the first three or four Super League games, Connor - who has quickly won over some sceptical fans - will get an early run in his favourite position.

4: Speaking of the former Huddersfield Giants, Hull FC and England back, he achieved a milestone last weekend when he became the 1,500th male player to make a competitive appearance for Leeds. His place at full-back on the teamsheet earned him the heritage number 1,500, with fellow off-season signings Cooper Jenkins being 1,501 and Keenan Palasia 1,502.

5: One of the most pleasing aspects of pre-season was the return of second-rower Morgan Gannon and prop Tom Holroyd from long-term concussion. Holroyd played in all three games - scoring a superb try against Wests - and Gannon featured in Handley’s testimonial and the cup tie, when he crossed twice. Another experienced forward would be welcome, but Holroyd and Gannon are effectively new players in the squad and Leeds’pack looks much stronger than it was last year.