Skip to player
Skip to main content
Skip to footer
Search
Connect
Watch fullscreen
Like
Comments
Bookmark
Share
Add to Playlist
Report
Leeds Rhinos - Super League 2025 Preview and Prediction
Yorkshire Post
Follow
14/02/2025
The Yorkshire Post's rugby league writer James O'Brien looks ahead to Leeds Rhinos' 2025 campaign in Super League, picking out reasons for optimism, areas of concern, key players and a predicted finish
Category
🥇
Sports
Transcript
Display full video transcript
00:00
I think Brad Arthur is the big one, he's the big difference going into this season compared
00:17
to this time last year when they had Rowan Smith. Like his uncle Tony, it was very relaxed
00:24
at least, there was very little accountability and the players struggled with that. They
00:29
had a passive defence under Rowan Smith as well, where they just let sides come to them
00:34
rather than dictate in terms and I think that's where it'll be different this season for the
00:38
Rhinos. I think they'll have more aggression, more intent under Brad Arthur. They'll take
00:44
the fight to the opposition rather than waiting to get punched in the mouth before doing something.
00:49
So I think that'll be the big difference. He's a no-nonsense Australian coach and I
00:56
just think he'll change the mentality of the team and that'll make all the difference.
01:01
We saw last year with Warrington, the impact that a coach can have when he comes in and
01:05
transforms the mentality. Sam Burgess did it with Warrington, got them up to finish
01:08
third and I think Brad Arthur can have similar impacts at least in his first full season.
01:18
The depth of the squad, I'd say, is the one concern. They've already lost Mike Sivo at
01:24
a star signing to an ACL. They've brought someone in from Australia, an unknown quantity
01:28
who hasn't played a first grade game. Beyond the top 20 or so players, there's a lot of
01:36
young talent, unproven talent and that's probably where he leads. If they keep the squad fit,
01:43
they'll go very well but if they do get a lot of injuries, as they have done in previous
01:48
years, then they might struggle.
01:54
Brodie Croft is an obvious one, a former Man of Steel. He was very good last season
02:01
in the poor team, came up with a lot of assists, was right up there in that column and that
02:08
was behind a struggling pack as well who played on the back foot for a lot of the season.
02:12
So if Leeds do show more aggression, more intent in the pack, I think they could lay
02:18
a good platform or an even better platform for Croft to show that kind of form that won
02:25
him the Man of Steel.
02:30
I think I've alluded to this already but I think Leeds will finish third. I just think
02:35
you can't keep them down for much longer, surely. It's been eight years now since the
02:41
last finish in the top four, which you would have thought that's unthinkable around the
02:47
time they were winning all those titles. I just think they've got a nice balance now,
02:52
particularly in the back line with Harry Newman and Jake Connor in there. I never thought
02:57
I'd see Jake Connor in a Leeds shirt but he's had a good start, a promising start and this
03:02
could be the year when he finally comes into his own at a big club on the big stage. I'm
03:07
tipping Leeds to finish third.
Recommended
5:12
|
Up next
Super League Round 27 Video Verdict - what's on the line for Hull Kr and Leeds Rhinos
Yorkshire Post
19/09/2024
3:16
Hull FC - Super League 2025 Preview and Prediction
Yorkshire Post
12/02/2025
9:11
Rugby League Talk - Super League Round 9 Preview with The Yorkshire Post's James O'Brien
Yorkshire Post
23/04/2025
2:37
Super League: James O'Brien's Round 20 preview
Yorkshire Post
20/07/2022
2:59
Super League - Round 27 Preview with The Yorkshire Post's James O'Brien
Yorkshire Post
21/09/2023
2:09
Super League - Preview 2023 season's opening weekend
Yorkshire Post
15/02/2023
2:31
Super League - James O'Brien's Yorkshire Post Video Preview
Yorkshire Post
14/06/2024
11:16
YP Rugby League Podcast - Episode 5: Super League Round 11
Yorkshire Post
14/05/2025
3:12
Super League Video View - Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR previews
Yorkshire Post
04/07/2024
2:55
Super League - Round Five Preview with James O'Brien
Yorkshire Post
20/03/2025
3:01
Super League - James O'Brien previews Round 8's Easter Yorkshire derby weekend
Yorkshire Post
05/04/2023
3:29
Wakefield Trinity - Super League 2025 Preview and Prediction
Yorkshire Post
14/02/2025
3:14
Super League Round 10 Preview - with The YP's James O'Brien
Yorkshire Post
02/05/2024
42:48
Inside Rugby League - Episode 57
Yorkshire Evening Post
14/10/2021
3:42
Assessing Leeds Rhinos' recruitment options for 2025
Yorkshire Evening Post
03/09/2024
1:14
Super League 2023 - 10 players to watch
Yorkshire Post
23/02/2023
3:11
Super League 2023 - James O'Brien's YP Video Verdict
Yorkshire Post
14/03/2023
3:25
Hull KR 26, Leeds Rhinos 16: coach Brad Arthur's press conference
Yorkshire Evening Post
21/09/2024
2:40
Super League Round 10 Preview with The Yorkshire Post's James O'Brien
Yorkshire Post
20/04/2023
2:02
Rugby League - Weekend Preview with The YP's James O'Brien
Yorkshire Post
14/03/2024
3:42
Hull KR - Super League 2025 Preview and Prediction
Yorkshire Post
13/02/2025
3:34
Super League - Weekend Preview by The YP's James O'Brien
Yorkshire Post
25/04/2024
3:10
Super League 2024 - Season Preview with The YP's James O'Brien
Yorkshire Post
15/02/2024
1:22
Leeds Rhinos Golden Generation Pt 3: L-S
Yorkshire Evening Post
16/02/2021
3:11
Super League Round 17 Preview - with The YP's James O'Brien
Yorkshire Post
28/06/2023