Mikolaj Oledski is targeting a big finish to the year, both for Leeds Rhinos and England.
The prop forward has emerged as a key figure at Headingley for Richard Agar’s side and was rewarded for his recent performances with a four-year contract in the off-season that keeps him at Leeds until 2025.
Having come right through the system at Leeds to become a first-team star, Oledzki says there is no place he’d rather be.
“I started my career at Leeds and I’ve had a great time here since I’ve been 15, I’ve had a great journey,” he said.
“It feels like the right thing to do. I’m really happy. My family loves this club.
On the goals for this season, Oledzki is clear: “We want to go all the way.
“There’s three trophies up for grabs so we want to compete for them all.
“I feel like this year, with the new additions we’ve got, there’s the squad to do it.
“It’s going to be tight competition at the top but I feel like we can compete this year. It’ll be an exciting finish.”
Last year ended with an England Test debut in Perpignan against France, and with a World Cup around the corner the aim is to finish the year playing in white again.
And while Oledzki may have been born in the Polish city of Gdansk, he is as proud as anyone to pull on the England jersey.
“It was really exciting, it was a great way to top the year off for me,” he said of his debut.
“I had an injury during the year and I thought my season was over, but I managed to come back for the last games.
“I felt like that wasn’t really enough, I felt like I wanted more out of the season.
“To get the chance to go away to France and make my international debut, I was really happy.
“It made me feel like I got something really good out of the year.
“It’s always an honour to put the England shirt on. I’m always very proud to put the England shirt whether it’s Academy, Knights or first team.
“To play in the World Cup, that would be one of the greatest achievements if I got the chance to do it.
“That’s one of my main goals personally this year, to make the team.”
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