Leeds Rhinos signing Aidan Sezer tips teenager Jack Sinfield to make the grade in Super League

The 17-year-old, son of club legend Kevin Sinfield, has been promoted from the academy and trained with Rhinos’ full-time squad for the first time this week.

Though his senior debut is likely to be some way off, Sinfield did some work with Rhinos’ first-choice halves before pre-season officially began and Sezer described him as “a good young kid.”

The 2020 Man of Steel nominee said: “He has got a good head on his shoulders, which obviously runs in the bloodline.

“His dad is a legend of the club and we’ve seen at training he wants to learn.

“I think a kid of his age just needs to take everything in and keep improving day by day, year on year.

“There’s no doubt he will represent the club at the top level soon.”

Sezer, 30, made his NRL debut for Gold Coast Titans in 2012 and joined Canberra Raiders - where he was a teammate of fellow Rhinos signing Blake Austin - three year later.

Having featured in Canberra’ 2019 Grand Final defeat by Sydney Roosters, the Australian is a vastly experienced addition to a youthful squad, but stressed: “Even the young boys here have had a lot of experience, people like Ash Handley and Harry Newman.

“I think we have got a good mix of youth and experience and I think me, Blake, Zane [Tetevano] and Matt Prior are blokes who have been around for a while now and hopefully we can help the young boys come through.”

Sezer added: “It is a good squad, that was one of the defining factors in me coming here.

“The boys who were here and the boys who’ve come in, there’s some good quality players and it’s something I am looking forward to.”

Rhinos have finished fifth in Betfred Super League for each of the past two seasons and will be aiming to break into the top four next year.

“Everyone’s always ambitious at this time of year and we will be no different,” Sezer said.

“But we’ve still got to get in and work hard and lay the foundations for a good season.

“Hopefully we’ll all stay injury free and we can put in some good performances on the park.”

While pre-season is no player’s favourite time of year, Sezer insisted the next three months will lay the platform for what happens in 2022.

“It’s good to get in and meet all the boys,” he said of getting started at his new club.

“Everyone needs hard work, everyone needs to get their body in good condition because once the season gets under way it is relentless.

“Putting the work in now and getting your body right and in a position where injuries hopefully won’t be a factor is a requirement of the game.”

Sezer has not played since suffering an ankle injury during Combined Nations All Stars’ win over England in June, but could make his first appearance for Leeds in the Boxing Day challenge game against Wakefield Trinity.

“I have been off for a while so I am really looking forward to getting out with the boys, getting a ball in hand and playing a bit of footy next month,” he said.

“I am fully fit. Obviously I have a few things to still tick off with the ankle, I haven’t done a lot of scrimmage and things like that.

“Hopefully I can get through that unscathed over the next month and it’s a green light.”

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