Huddersfield star Jake Connor has missed rugby league more than he ever imagined possible - and reckons he’ll now get even better on his return.
One of Super League’s most exciting and controversial players, the England international ends nearly seven months of frustration against St Helens on Thursday. Fully recovered from major knee surgery, it will be his first Giants appearance since leaving them for Hull in 2016. Maverick talent Connor went on to earn full international honours, win a Challenge Cup and torment defenders galore with the Black and Whites.
But after rejoining Huddersfield in October, the gifted stand-off’s back where it all started and ready to turn Ian Watson’s side into title contenders. Connor admitted: “It has been tough. It’s been a new one for me. I’ve had injuries before but nothing long-term like this. It’s been six and a half months.
“It’s been mentally tough, too, but I’m through it now and feel like I’m ready to go again. I’ve missed it. I know I’ve only missed the first four games of the season but it’s felt weird. I realise now you do take it for granted. You play so many games during the year you don’t realise how much you are going to miss it when games come around. It’s got me chomping at the bit. I just want to get out there now.
“I never expected I’d be back at Huddersfield. It’s obviously been a long time since I left. I spent three years there and enjoyed myself before deciding to move on. But once I got the opportunity to come back, I jumped at it.”
Connor - Super League’s top try-assister last term with 33 - will start off the bench against the reigning champions. Able to play full-back, centre or stand-off, many think he could be the missing piece of the jigsaw for Giants as they bid for a first Super League title. Now aged 28, Connor’s certainly coming into his peak years.
But he reckons there’s more to come and said: “I do think so. It’s a new team so I’m not expecting it to happen overnight but the style of rugby we play at Huddersfield under Watto, I think I can definitely improve my game. As the year goes on, hopefully I can find my best.
"I’ll be slotting in at half. Everyone from the outside always thinks Watto’s teams are always structured. They are in a way. But that’s not the case with me. He’s kind of given me a free role. Let Oliver Russell or Theo (Fages) be the organisers and whatever I want to do on the back of that, I’ve got free licence to do. It should suit me. I can’t wait to play with the boys.”
Huddersfield have had a mixed start, losing to Warrington, beating Wakefield and Castleford, but then falling narrowly to Wigan on Friday. World Club Challenge victors Saints got back to winning ways against Hull last week after uncharacteristic defeats to Leeds and Leigh. Connor said: “We know it’ll be the same old Saints. They’re going to be in the grind. It’s going to be fast, there’ll be intensity and they very rarely have an off day. “No doubt we have to be at our best to have a chance of winning.
On Watson’s decision to start him from the bench, he added: “That’s probably come more from our conditioner Greg Brown. It’s best off just giving me 40 minutes, just on the lungs. No disrespect to any other team, but I might have slotted straight back in against any other side. But when you play against Saints it’s a different speed and takes a toll on your body differently so it’s probably wise to get some short minutes under my belt.”
And the Great Britain star, who’s signed a three-year deal at John Smith’s Stadium, is glad to finally have his long-standing knee issue resolved with a mircofracture surgery. Connor said: “I knew I’d needed the op’. When I first signed at Hull I damaged my knee and I do think I should have had it opped on back then. I didn’t.
“I rehabbed it and then every little injury added on top of it. And then basically a doctor did say he’s not sure how I’ve managed to play the last couple of years with how many there’s been. I knew I needed to get it done but previously there’s been internationals and things and I never had a chance. I knew it’d be a lengthy injury but this was the only time I could get it sorted.”
