Leeds Rhinos' Harry Newman explains new deal, admits club was unhappy place last year, hails 'positive vibe'

The England man, who turns 24 next week, ended speculation over his immediate future by penning a deal until the end of 2026 and insisted he is excited by the club’s “vision” for the next three years.

Newman rejected options at home and in the NRL and stressed he is “delighted” to be staying at Leeds. “It has taken its time; conversations have been going on since probably the back end of last year and obviously I had a year left on my previous contract, but I’m over the moon,” he said.

“I can see there’s a massive vision for the club at the minute. Last year it wasn’t a happy place to be and I was probably umming and ahhing over whether I needed a change. But off the back of the internationals, I have come back into a great squad, with the additions we’ve made, as well as some of the young kids stepping up.

“The likes of Ash [Handley] and Cam [Smith] have really driven the group to believe in and know what we can achieve. We’ve let ourselves down in recent years, but Rohan [Smith, Rhinos’ coach] has done a great job of building a culture.

“He came into an environment that probably wasn’t the best and it has taken some time and hard work and people buying into what he wants to achieve. I think the club is going in the right direction and I want to be a part of that.”

Newman added: “I’ve been here since I was 14 and it would have been tough to leave so I am glad I made the decision. But I also feel like I owe it to the club. I owe the club a lot, the fans have always stood by me through some tough injuries when people have written me off and I have always bounced back. My family have stuck by me through some tough times and I am delighted to be at least for the next three seasons.

“There were other options. There were discussions over in Australia and with other places over here, but I am absolutely delighted with the decision. I feel it’s the right one at this time in my life and the next three years is going to be outstanding.”

Of what contributed to the glum mood last year, Newman said: “For me, injuries and the group wasn’t winning. It’s probably more a conversation to be held within the group, but we have definitely put those things right and fixed them. There’s definitely a sense of belief and a positive vibe around the camp at the minute.

“Going into training every day, it is exciting. You want to be there. I’d probably say - without going into too much detail - last year you’d go in and look forward to going home. It is a great place to be now, we’ve done some tough work and we’re more than ready for next week.”

Newman has yet to play in a major final for Leeds. A broken leg kept him out of the 2020 Challenge Cup triumph and he was sidelined with hamstring damage when Rhinos lost at Old Trafford two years ago. He said: “I am desperate to play in one of those. Looking back at the Grand Final in 2022, I was in tears at the end of the game. For the Challenge Cup I was in a boot with a snapped tibia and fibula, but I think seeing the vision of the club and the players we’ve brought in, we really can go on and do something.

“Pre-season is pre-season, everyone says they are feeling good and they’ve going to go well, but I thought last week’s performance - against a strong Hull KR team, when we hadn’t played that much rugby together as a starting 13 or a 17 - was a good start and we’ll be looking to build on that week by week.”

Next Friday’s opener at home to Salford Red Devils will see Rhinos recruits Brodie Croft and Andy Ackers go up against their previous club, while ex-Leeds man Nene Macdonald is poised to make his debut for the visitors. Macdonald scored two tries in 20 games for Rhinos last year before leaving the club just months into a four-year contract.

“We know what he can do,” Newman said of his former teammate. “He’s a very good player, he showed that last year. I got along with Nene great and it is a shame what happened, but I am looking forward to playing against him. It is an exciting prospect.”

Having won every round one fixture from 2001 to 2015, Rhinos have been slow starters since, with six defeats and just two victories. “That’s something we have spoken about as a group,” Newman admitted.

“We’ve been left chasing our tails a bit. The year we got to the Grand Final we were 10th half way through. Even last year, there was still the belief half way through we could push in for a play-off spot. We were four points off in the end and that’s on the back of everything that happened. We are looking for a big start and obviously to be competing and up where Leeds should be at the end of the year.”

A fit and firing Newman will be crucial to Rhinos’ hopes of doing that and, after a trouble-free pre-season, he is feeling “very positive, I couldn’t be happier at the minute”. He said: “Pre-season has been great, I’ve loved every minute, being fully fit and able to participate. I love the physios, but I don’t want to be with them all the time. That’s the last place you want to be, you want to be on the field with the team.”