BRODIE CROFT has got “full faith” in his Leeds Rhinos teammates that they can go on and achieve silverware in 2025.
The Rhinos have not tasted silverware since 2020 – when they lifted the Challenge Cup under then head coach Richard Agar – and they have failed to qualify for the end-of-season Super League play-offs for the past two seasons.
The failure to do so in 2024 cost Rohan Smith his job, with former Parramatta Eels boss Brad Arthur taking the reins for the final few months of the season.
Now, following a tough pre-season, Croft believes that this Rhinos side can lift a trophy in 2025.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say we could achieve silverware. You’d be silly to be sitting here and saying anything else,” Croft told League Express.
“The way everyone has been training and ripping in, I don’t see why that can’t be achieved but there are 11 other teams that will be saying the same thing.
“We can sit here and talk about it but it’s about putting things into action. I’ve got full faith in this team that we can do something special.”
So why did 2024 go so awry for the Rhinos?
“Personally, at stages I thought we were going really good. We would have had a really good week and then we could never get that consistency about our performances,” Croft continued.
“We would have one good performance and then one bad performance and it would take us another good performance to get us going again.
“I know we only missed out on the finals by two points – that’s still disappointing – but we were closer than that people sometimes think.
“Certainly Brad Arthur and what he’s brought into the team will definitely accelerate us into the direction we want to go in.”
So what has Arthur brought in?
“What he’s brought in himself is accountability. He is very black and white with how he goes about things.
“He said on the first day that he would be firm but fair and that’s what he has been to his credit.
“He has been thorough with his detail for us, he is very detailed on every aspect. The boys really enjoy that about him.
“Everyone knows where they stand with him – there is no guessing.”