Jake Connor hails Brad Arthur’s Leeds Rhinos influence amid plea for coach to stay

Ben Olawumi
Jake Connor

Jake Connor in action for Leeds Rhinos in 2025

Leeds star Jake Connor has waxed lyrical over head coach Brad Arthur, saying he and his team-mates would ‘love’ the Australian to extend his stay at Headingley beyond the end of the season.

Sydney-born Arthur – who has over a decade of NRL coaching experience on his CV – has been with Leeds since July 2024.

The 50-year-old had originally intended to stay just a few months, but signed an extension for the duration of 2025 and has the Rhinos sat 4th on the Super League ladder following their Magic Weekend win against St Helens.

But nothing has been officially decided yet on Arthur’s future beyond the end of the current campaign, with the veteran coach admitting he’d be happy to return Down Under given his family ties.

‘I’ve said to some of the boys that he’ll be the best coach some of them will ever have’

Off-season recruit Connor delivered a man-of-the-match performance at St James’ Park on Saturday night as Leeds secured a 17-4 victory against Saints.

The utility is in a rich vein of form following his winter move from Huddersfield Giants, and when asked about Arthur’s influence in his Sky Sports interview post-match, he couldn’t speak highly enough of the Rhinos boss.

Connor said: “He’s been unreal for me, he’s probably changed my career and form round.

“There’s not too much pressure that he puts on me, it’s just the way he plays and his game plan.

“He likes to free me up, and it’s probably me that’s not doing that to myself at the moment, I’d like to play a bit more freely.

“Probably in situations, I need to learn from them, but he’s given me that freedom and he’s been unreal with me.

“I’d love him to stay. I’ve said to some of the boys that he’ll be the best coach some of them will ever have.

“The things we’ve learnt off him will stay with this team for a long time if he does go.”

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