Jake Connor to combine Leeds Rhinos duties with coaching role in 2025
Photo courtesy of Leeds Rhinos
Jake Connor will combine his playing duties with Leeds Rhinos next season as he continues in his assistant coaching role with famous community club Siddal.
The 30-year-old has joined Leeds on a two-year contract from neighbours Huddersfield ahead of 2025: and is one of five new arrivals in Brad Arthur’s side, who have also signed veteran winger Ryan Hall as well as Maika Sivo, Cooper Jenkins and Keenan Palasia from Down Under.
Connor has also agreed to stay on in his role as an assistant coach to Gaz English at Siddal, who finished top of the National Conference Premier division in 2024 but fell short to Hunslet ARLFC in the Grand Final.
Confirming their coaching staff for 2025, a club statement from Siddal read: “We are delighted to announce that head coach Gaz English along with Jake Connor, Russ Holroyd, Jason Greenwood-Macdonald and Gary Lewis have all signed back up for the NCL Premier team for the 2025 season.
“The staff and players are hoping to build on the back of a fantastic 2024 season and as a club we are delighted to get all the backroom staff signed up again, which shows the strong infrastructure we have behind the scenes.
“All the very best lads and thank you for your commitment to Siddal ARLFC.”
Connor, who was born and raised in Halifax, kickstarted his rugby league journey at Ovenden and Calderdale service area as a junior before moving to Siddal at the age of 16.
It was at Siddal where he caught the eye of Huddersfield’s scouts and he then joined the Giants’ youth ranks under Chris Thorman, later signing his first full-time, professional contract at the age of 17 in 2012.
Connor has gone on to rack up more than 250 career appearances since his first-team in debut in 2013, representing Huddersfield and Hull FC as well as winning eight international caps in total for Great Britain and England.
He will don the blue and amber jersey for the first time in 2025 after linking up with Leeds.
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