Ian Blease on Jake Connor's Leeds Rhinos destiny, finding winning mentality and meeting expectations
When Ian Blease walked through the door at Headingley, his induction was short and sweet.
The former Salford Red Devils supremo had been tasked with reviving Leeds Rhinos in the newly created role of sporting director – and the need for action was urgent.
Blease must have a handle on the entire rugby department but the most pressing issue was to restore the jewel in the club's crown.
Once the kings of Super League, the Rhinos first team have become just another face in the crowd since their last title success in 2017.
Leeds won the 2020 Challenge Cup and reached the Grand Final in 2022 but have finished in the top four only once in nine years – the season they went on to win at Old Trafford.
The Rhinos were drifting along under Rohan Smith when Blease arrived in June and action was swift, the Australian losing his job on day three of the new era.
Leeds' situation called for brave decisions and Blease continues to show he is not afraid to make them, as evidenced by the signing of the enigmatic Jake Connor.
The playmaker has the ability to win games single-handedly but his temperament makes him a polarising figure.
After falling short of expectations in his second spell at Huddersfield Giants, the former England international has been given an unexpected chance to revive his career and help the Rhinos rediscover their mojo.
"I think there's a little bit of destiny in this for him," said Blease.
"He's come to the place he's always wanted to play at, at the right time in his career. It's down to Jake and Brad (Arthur) to get the best out of him now.
"He's really up for it. I wouldn't say there's risk in it but it raised a lot of eyebrows. He's a class player, a top performer and, believe it or not, a really nice person off the pitch as well.
"If he gets a good start to the year, I think the fans will really warm to him."
There was limited scope for player movement at the time of Blease's arrival but he has shown the negotiation skills that allowed Salford to punch above their weight during his tenure.
Maika Sivo has been brought in to match Ryan Hall's power on the opposite flank, a player backed by Blease to provide the "X factor" Leeds were looking for.
Keenan Palasia and Cooper Jenkins have beefed up the pack to give the Rhinos a fresh look for Arthur's first full season as head coach.
Barring a move to bring in a squad player, the Rhinos' business is done and attention now turns to delivering on the potential Blease could see from afar.
"It's something I wanted to take up and challenge myself with," said the 59-year-old.
"When I left Salford, we didn't owe each other anything. I gave everything while I was there and I think they appreciated what I did. I loved it there.
"I could see that expectations were high here (at Leeds) from the outside. The members, sponsors and fans want us to win – and so does everyone in the club. We're working towards that now.
"There's a lot to do and you can probably see that with the activity. We're straightening it out a little bit now, looking to the future and putting a bit of a strategy in place for the next few years.
"I'm well aware of the weight of expectancy from our fans and hopefully we can give them a bit to cheer about next year.
"It'll probably take another recruitment cycle to try and form the team we really want to see out there but I'm really happy with the squad we've got up to now.
"We'll see if we can enhance that as the season progresses but we're not panicking. We're comfortable with what we've got at the moment."
Leeds are fresh from consecutive eighth-place finishes – and it is not the first time it has happened since the golden generation moved on.
The Rhinos finished ninth and eighth in the two seasons after claiming their eighth Super League title in 2017 to highlight the depth of their slump.
Still an elite club off the field, Blease's challenge is to drag the first team back up to the same level.
"In terms of foundations, training base and stadium, we've got everything we need," he said.
"The ownership and directors are really supportive of everything we do on the rugby side. It's just about us getting the performances right at every level on the pitch and having the right coaches and staff in place.
"I'm really excited for the future. If we can start getting results early on next season, let's kick on and play with some confidence.
"I'm hoping the Rhinos can recapture the form of previous years where they've done really well in the Challenge Cup and Super League. That's what we're aiming for.
"We are Leeds and we've got to make sure we get that Leeds winning mentality back into this club."