New signing Adam Cuthbertson has joined Leeds Rhinos after two seasons with Newcastle Knights in the NRL. He said he would like to stay with Leeds as long as possible if he continues to enjoy himself and the club is happy with him. Cuthbertson acknowledged there is pressure joining a new club as the Rhinos' only new signing, but said he will do his best and deal with any pressure. He has settled in well to living in Leeds and appreciates how welcoming his new teammates have been.

1. Cuthbertson: I’d Love Leeds Stay
Leeds Rhinos new signing Adam Cuthbertson admitted he would like to stay at
the club for as long as he can.
The 29-year-old has joined the Yorkshire club after two seasons at NRL side
Newcastle Knights.
At the clubs press day Cuthbertson spoke of his ambitions for the team and
himself ahead of the Rhinos opener at Hull KR on Sunday February 8.
Cuthbertson said: “I’d love to (stay here as long as possible.) As long as I’m
enjoying myself and they’re enjoying having me then sure I’d love to stay here
for as long as I can.”
He admitted he was aware of the pressure with signing for the Rhinos but
admitted that comes with signing for a new club: “There’s always pressure when
you’re coming into a club. I’m the only signing so there’s obviously going to be
that pressure.
“It’s about how you deal with it when you first come in. You can only do your
best and go from there.”
The move from Australia can cause some players problems with acclimatisation
and homesickness, but standing in his flip-flops, he spoke of how well he has
been received into the team.
“I’m acclimatising well. Really well, I really enjoying living in the area and the
boys have been great and they’ve been very accommodating and very
welcoming. They have helped me tremendously.”
With just one friendly left before the start of the season, he admitted he was
happy to play wherever for the teams benefit: “I’ve just come here to do pretty
much what Mac (Brian McDermott) tells me to do really. I just personally try to
turn up and try to play football each week and play to my best and really enjoy it.
“If Mac feels like playing prop one week is best for the team or playing loose one
week is best for the team then that’s what I get to do.”
The bearded Aussie even compared the Challenge Cup to the State of Origin NRL
match.
He admitted: “I think the Challenge Cup is just as big. The only difference is that
it’s the same two teams every year in Australia with the rivalry of New South
Wales and Queensland, where the Challenge Cup changes every year.
“I think in terms of the capacity of people that come out and watch is still just as
big but it’s not the same rivalry each year.”

2. He spoke to former Rhino Danny Buderus before sealing the switch to the Super
League and spoke of how they played a part in influencing the move.
Cuthbertson said: “He just really enjoyed the club, the culture of the club and
obviously playing at Headingley.
“He really enjoyed those aspects of the game and him and his family really
enjoyed living here too, so they’re just some of the things you need in place to
make a good experience with work, so they were some of the big factors.”
Leeds Rhinos play their final pre-season match at the Keepmoat Stadium against
Doncaster on Sunday ahead of the season opener against Hull KR at Craven Park
a week later.
Quotes
Settling into Leeds
“Yeah really well, really enjoying living in the area and the boys have been great
and they’ve been very accommodating and very welcoming. They have helped
me tremendously.
Pressure
“There’s always pressure when you’re coming into a club and obviously I’m the
only signing so there’s obviously going to be that pressure. It’s about how you
deal with it when you first come in. You can only do your best and go from there.
Rotation
“I’ve just come here to do pretty much what Mac (Brian McDermott) tells me to
do really. I just personally try to turn up and try to play football each week and
play to my best and really enjoy it. If Mac feels like playing prop one week is best
for the team or playing loose one week is best for the team then that’s what I get
to do.
Words about Leeds Danny Bederus
“He just really enjoyed the club, the culture of the club and obviously playing at
Headingley. He really enjoyed those aspects of the game and him and his family
really enjoyed living here too, so they’re just some of the things you need in place
to make a good experience with work, so they were some of the big factors.

3. Super League
“I did always try and view the games I could back at home on Sky when I could. I
took more interest when I signed and to see how the boys were going in the
Challenge Cup. So I have seen a bit and have played against the Broncos
(London) and Leeds in 2009 (World Club Challenge).
Looking Forward/Friends
“I’ve got a good friend in Clem Telltai at Wigan. I’ve got a lot of family living in
Warrington so it’ll be good to go up there and play in front of them.
Structure
“I think it puts a lot of pressure on teams to perform really well at the beginning
of the year. I mean a lot of teams can come out and off start slower and finish
good but I think it applies a lot more pressure on teams starting off well and
holding it as opposed to phasing out throughout the year. I think it’ll be good for
the fans as every match there will be something on the line because you need to
win as many games as possible with the new structure.
State of Origin/Challenge Cup
“I think the Challenge Cup is just as big, the only difference is that it’s the same
two teams every year in Australia, with the rivalry of New South Wales and
Queensland, where the Challenge Cup changes every year, so I think in terms of
the capacity of people that come out and watch is still just as big but its not the
same rivalry each year.
Wembley personal goal
“Yeah definitely, achieving everything in the game is a personal goal. You don’t
want to lose, you want to sort of achieve the highest you can the sport, so it’s
definitely one of my goals.
Personal Goals
“Not really just start small, start the year well and just take everything from a
team aspect really to start the season well. I tend to find when the team is
playing well and you’re apart of that everything comes off the back of it.
Season Super League Standard
I’m not sure I’ve only played against two teams now and it’s hard to say going
into it as they are just trials. Obviously there’s a lot of swapping and changing

4. when you’re playing trials and when you’re playing … oppositions. I’m sure it’s
going to be tough and were all professionals at the end of the day and we’re all
out there to win so it’s going to be tough.
Sunday run out
“It was good. I really enjoyed myself, which was the main thing for me really. We
had a good win and it was good to play for someone in JP (Jamie Peacock). It was
good to see the crowd go out there and get behind us.
Crowd
“Everyone says that and you sort of pick up a bit of it on TV but it’s still hard to
see cause of the way the stands are built but to get out there and experience it is
a completely different thing. It was finally great to get out in front of the
Headingley crowd and I’m sure they will come through in bigger numbers which
I hope they do and it will be another experience again for me
Contenders/Teams
“Not really. As a player coming into the Super League first year I don’t really
know. People always talk about grudge matches and that you will come up
against teams and they will step up a lot more as it’s more are less a grudge
match. I think every team will be tough this year with the way the competition is
based.
Personal goals
“I’d love to. As long as I’m enjoying myself and they’re enjoying having me then
sure I’d love to stay here for as long as I can.”