Leeds Rhinos news: coach Brad Arthur reveals when decision over future will be made

The Australian - who was appointed a year ago today (Thursday) - is out of contract at the end of this season and torn between staying at Leeds and returning to Australia to be close to his sons, who both play in the NRL competition. Speaking at his weekly preview press conference today, ahead of Friday’s home game against St Helens, Arthur said he still doesn’t know whether he will be at Rhinos next year, but admitted the time to make a decision is coming.

“Maybe, I don’t know,” he said when asked if he could stay on. “It is a week-to week-thing. Me and Bleasey [sporting director Ian Blease] will sit down at the end of the month and have a good discussion and nut it out. We have got three games to get through, we’re going to have a chat then and he’ll put a time limit on it from there. In three weeks’ time, we are going to have a conversation.”

Arthur joined Leeds on a 10-game contract, which was later extended to cover the 2025 season. He was Betfred Super League’s coach of the month for May and has guided Rhinos to third place in the table with 17 of the 27 rounds played.

Reflecting on his 12 months at the helm, Arthur – who was axed in May last year after a decade in charge of NRL club Parramatta Eels – said: “It has been fun. I have enjoyed it. It has rejuvenated me a bit. I was a bit flat and down after how I ended in the last job, but that was needed for me. I think it was the right decision from the club at the time and myself and it has been good for me.

“It has given me a different look at some things and I have learned a lot of lessons. Sometimes you don’t learn lessons until you have to learn it the tough way and I did. I feel like it has made me better, I have really enjoyed the people here and the club. It is run by good people, it is heading in the right direction and I am enjoying the buy-in from the players at the moment.”