Boss Brad Arthur making a difference as Leeds Rhinos show signs of life: latest talking points
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Rhinos produced their best performance of the campaign to hammer weary Wigan Warriors 30-4 at AMT Headingley and breathe life back into their top-six bid. They will have to do it all over again on Saturday against Warrington Wolves at Magic Weekend, but coach Brad Arthur is rapidly becoming a fans’ favourite. Here’s five talking points.
1: Making a difference.
Brad Arthur says he wants to “make a difference” at Leeds and he is certainly doing that. Though his 50 per cent winning record from four games is about par for this season’s course, defensively, Rhinos look like a completely new team.
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It’s hard to believe the players on duty against Wigan were, more or less, the same ones who appeared so passive earlier in the campaign. Leeds have defended pretty well all year, but rather than waiting for their rivals to come to them, Rhinos are now getting off the line and whacking the opposition and not only is it better to watch, it also proved highly effective against the reigning champions.
Apparently, Arthur’s big thing is accountability. He gives players a job and expects them to do it, which is probably what a talented, but underperforming group needed. There’s work still to be done, particularly on cutting down the errors which continue to blight Rhinos’ game, but from where they were a month ago, the improvement is striking.
2: Realistic goals.
However, last Saturday was only one win and Leeds need a lot more of the same to salvage anything positive from an overwhelmingly disappointing campaign. The defeat of Wigan was the first time Rhinos have beaten a team above them on the table since Catalans Dragons visited Headingley in March and they haven’t strung three successive victories together for more than a year.


Were they to win the next two, against Warrington and then Catalans, suddenly the top-six would be back within reach, but - realistically - the damage has probably already been done in the play-off race. It would be a huge bonus if they got there, but the main objective has to be finishing the campaign in the strongest-possible fashion so they can go into pre-season on a high.
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Hide AdThat said, if Leeds do go on a bit of a roll and sneak in, given the teams they play over the next few weeks and the club’s past history, few top-six sides would relish the prospect of facing them in the play-offs.
3: Wise words.


Whatever happens over the next few weeks, when Leeds’ management review this season and look at where things went wrong, one thing will clearly stand out. Rhinos’ pack looked a prop or two light at the end of 2023 and nothing was done to put that right.
Obviously Rhinos didn’t expect their number 10, Tom Holroyd, to play only six games, but even so, the pack has been out-gunned for much of the campaign and that has not been a surprise. So, it’s encouraging to hear Arthur stress the club “needs to strengthen that area in our roster”.
The squad Leeds have now isn’t too far off, as they proved last weekend. The back line is as good as anyone’s and they have some depth there with the youngsters coming through, but it’s hard for them to do their thing if the pack aren’t going forward. If Leeds sort that out between now and next February, Rhinos should have a much better 2025.
4: Food for thought.
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Hide AdThe performance against Wigan has given Arthur much to ponder, specifically should he make changes to a winning team. With Ash Handley a major doubt and Mikolaj Oledzki on the long-term injury list, there isn’t much scope for that, but Cameron Smith will be available this weekend after a one-match ban and will come straight back in at loose-forward.
Jarrod O’Connor had an outstanding game there against Wigan, but Smith is Rhinos’ captain and the coach is keen to get him back on the field. Smith has come in for some criticism from some fans this year, but that’s unfair. Leeds’ reigning player of the year isn’t having his best season, but has been trying his socks off every week. Maybe the captaincy has taken its toll, so that’s something else for Arthur to consider in the long-term. Matt Frawley led the team well last weekend and is their most improved player under the new coach.
5: Wheely impressive.
It was a good weekend for Rhinos as a club, with the women’s and wheelchair sides also picking up notable wins. The women, in coach Lois Forsell’s last match before maternity leave, beat Wigan 28-8 at Headingley to boost their hopes of finishing second in Super League and securing a home semi-final.
Wigan have improved massively this year, under coach Denis Betts and the sides had an identical record going into the game so it was a big win for a Leeds team missing some important players because of injury.
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Hide AdRhinos secured top spot in Wheelchair Super League with a 56-54 defeat of Halifax Panthers. It’s the fifth successive time Rhinos have topped the table and they have a 100 per cent record after five league rounds. Sights now are set on reaching the Grand Final and erasing the memory of last year’s shock loss to Wigan.
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