Aidan Sezer says the opportunity to be the main man was the major reason he decided to join Huddersfield.
The Giants secured the Canberra Raiders halfback ahead of 2020 on the back of him playing for the Green Machine in this year’s NRL Grand Final.
But, despite being in the prime of his career and at one of the biggest clubs in the world, Sezer made the decision to turn his back on the NRL and make the move to West Yorkshire to join a Huddersfield side that has struggled for several years.
From the outside, the decision to make the move raised various questions. However, Sezer told League Express that his decision was based on the opportunity to be the team’s linchpin moving forward.
“I want a licence to run the field,” Sezer said.
“I don’t just want to play a support role like I have in the past at Canberra. I played with some dominant players and it inhibited me a little, so to come over here and get the chance to direct a team around the park is big for me.
“I want plenty of touches of the football, I want to guide the team around. Simon (Woolford) is giving me that licence.
“It was a decision for myself. I’d done a lot at Canberra, but I just wanted a fresh start and to do something new. I just wanted to take up a new challenge in the Super League. I’m still pretty young, so I think I’ve got most of my good footy ahead of my and I think we’re in for a good year collectively.”
Sezer knows that the responsibility, along with his marquee player tag, comes with expectation and pressure.
“But it’s always been like that for me,” he said.
“I’ve played eight years of NRL (for the Gold Coast Titans and Canberra) and there’s always that expectation, so there’s no reason why it would be different here.
“I’ve come here to do a job as the halfback and usually we’re the talking point when it comes to results. But I’m not bothered about how people label me. If we get results collectively we all get judged positively.”
Right now, Sezer insists on looking to the future, rather than the past. Instead of discussing his Canberra exit or Huddersfield’s disappointing campaign this year, he’d rather look to 2020 in new colours.
“The past doesn’t have to dictate your future,” he said.
“You talk about the club having a few poor seasons. We can’t change now, but we can change what happens in the future.
“We can draw on the positives of the last few years and use them, but our focus has to be on the future. We’re improving in all areas and if we stay healthy I’m pretty adamant we’ve got enough here to have a good campaign. The club has made some good inclusions in Kenny Edwards and James Gavet. There are a lot of intelligent players in this group.”
