Hull FC utility Jake Connor has broken his silence on his exit from Huddersfield Giants at the end of last season – admitting that he needed a change to reinvigorate his career.
Connor was the subject of a much-publicised dispute between former club Huddersfield and his new employers, before eventually settling on a move to the KCOM Stadium for the 2017 season.
And he admitted that negotiations with the Giants over a stay at the John Smith’s Stadium simply didn’t pan out how he’d have liked.
He said: “I was negotiating with Huddersfield for a long time and things didn’t go their way or how I wanted to it so got to the point where I felt like I needed a change.
“I spoke to a few clubs but this one caught my eye and I’m just happy to be here now and want to focus on playing rugby.”
Connor made an instant impact for his new side over the weekend; scoring the decisive try in Hull’s 12-8 victory at Wakefield on the opening weekend of the new season.
And after coming on in the final quarter for fullback Jamie Shaul, Connor admitted he was just glad to make an impact wherever he was required to by coach Lee Radford.
“We spoke about just being on the bench and if there’s an injury to the backs I can cover any of those or even at half-back,” he said.
“I just waited patiently and if I didn’t get on and we still won I’d have been happy with that.
“But Shauly came off with a hamstring problem and that’s what I’m there for; to come on and do a job and help out the boys. I nicked a try at the end and I think that’s helped the boys out massively.”
And Connor admits he is relishing the battle ahead to show he is worthy of a place in Hull’s starting 13 moving forward.
He said: “There is (competition for places) and that happens in every team. I came from Huddersfield and it was the same there.
“The outside backs here are class. I think everyone is fighting for a spot; there’s no space guaranteed. That’s what we train for, to claim that spot, and I’ll keep doing that.”
