Leeds Rhinos recruitment in focus and where they must strengthen to compete for Super League honours

Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, he insisted: “I can assure all Rhinos stakeholders this is what the club is determined to deliver.”

But where do they need to strengthen to achieve that? Three recruits have been announced: back Lachie Miller from Newcastle Knights, Canberra Raiders pivot Matt Frawley and French Test forward Mickael Goudemand.

But five players with a 2023 squad number have already left the club, three more will depart at the end of this season and the future of a couple of others is in doubt, so there are gaps to fill. Here’s where Rhinos need to recruit.

Full-back: Miller can operate in the halves or on a wing, but has been signed to play full-back and will bring electric pace to the side, which is something Leeds have lacked.

Current number one Richie Myler is contracted until the end of next season and during his current injury layoff Luke Hooley has stepped in and shown positive signs.

Other full-backs in the 2023 squad include teenagers Alfie Edgell and Riley Lumb, who have yet to make their first team debut, so Rhinos are well covered in a pivotal role.

Wing: One of the present squad’s wingers, Liam Tindall, will move on at the end of this season.

It seems unlikely Nene Macdonald, who has also played wing and centre this year, will be at the club in 2024, but David Fusitu’a and Ash Handley - who would get in most teams - are contracted, along with Derrell Olpherts.

There are some promising wingers in the lower grades - including Neil Tchamambe who earned a Yorkshire academy call-up this year - so if Tindall is replaced like-for-like, it will probably be from within the club’s system.

Centre: Losing Macdonald would leave Harry Newman as the only other experienced, specialist centre in Rhinos’ squad.

Rhyse Martin can fill in, rookie Luis Roberts has done a solid job this season and teenager Max Simpson will be back in contention next term after a year out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Academy player Jack Smith is also well thought of and fellow youngster Ned McCormack could have a big future, but it is an area Leeds will look to strengthen.

Stand-off: This is a priority. Since Blake Austin’s sudden departure, Leeds don’t have an experienced, specialist number six and Rhyse Martin, Morgan Gannon and Corey Johnson, who have all had a turn this year, are more suited to other roles.

Frawley played stand-off for Canberra Raiders in the NRL this year, but if - as expected - he is at seven for Leeds, they’ll need a quality partner to work alongside him.

Scrum-half: Frawley will probably play there, replacing Aidan Sezer. Teenager Jack Sinfield is likely to get some more game time next year and Richie Myler is another option, so the number seven position is sorted.

Prop: Rhinos’ other top priority is someone to play in the middle of the field. As things stand - with Zane Tetevano having been released and Sam Walters heading to Wigan - Leeds have Mikolaj Oledzki and Tom Holroyd to start and Sam Lisone, James Donaldson and Justin Sangare coming off the bench. An injury would leave them short-handed, so - with nobody ready to step up from the lower grades - a front-rower will be on the shopping list.

Hooker: Rhinos were close to recruiting Samoan World Cup finalist Danny Levi, until he decided instead to remain at Canberra.

Jarrod O’Connor has started all but the first two games this year at hooker, Johnson is more than capable of stepping in and there are some quality youngsters coming through. But Kruise Leeming hasn’t been replaced following his exit in March, which is why Levi was on Rhinos’ radar.

Second-row: Rhinos have James Bentley, James McDonnell, Morgan Gannon and Leon Ruan contracted for next year, alongside the in-coming Goudemand and 19-year-old Toby Warren, so aren’t in obvious need of another second-rower, even if Rhyse Martin plays at centre in 2024.

Loose-forward: An injury to Cameron Smith, who is ever-present this year, would give Rhinos a headache, but Goudemand can feature at loose-forward and O’Connor played there before switching to hooker a couple of seasons ago.