BRODIE CROFT will leave Leeds Rhinos at the end of this season in another significant blow to the club.
The halfback is out of contract and his third year at AMT Headingley will be his last after agreeing a deal with another, unnamed club for 2027.
He has been linked with a switch to Super League rivals Warrington Wolves, who are hunting a replacement for Dolphins-bound George Williams, while head coach Brad Arthur recently confirmed interest from Australia in Croft.
Leeds are already set to lose English trio Harry Newman, James McDonnell and Mikolaj Oledzki to Perth Bears when they enter the NRL next year.
Croft, 28, has helped engineer Leeds’ return to title contention since joining from Salford Red Devils, with whom he won the Man of Steel award in 2022, the Australian’s first campaign in Super League.
His partnership with Jake Connor was key to last season’s top-four finish and a strong start to 2026.
Head coach Brad Arthur, whose own future is uncertain having signed a rolling Rhinos contract last year, said: “We will be disappointed to lose Brodie at the end of the season.
“He has thrived in our team this season with the combinations we have in place and the environment we have created.
“I know he will want to go out on the best possible note and achieve the success he desperately wants.”
Sporting director Ian Blease, who helped bring Croft to the UK when he previously held a similar role at Salford, said: “Naturally this was disappointing news for us to hear from Brodie’s management.
“I have been in discussions with him and his team for over six months to try and keep him at AMT Headingley.
“I understand from Brodie that is not a financial decision but the fact he wants, with three young children, to play his rugby closer to his home in the North West.
“All parties have tried to work on ways around this but at the end of the day, Brodie has made the decision he feels is right for himself and his family, and I fully respect that.”
Blease reassured supporters that Leeds, who are also losing former captain Cameron Smith to Wakefield Trinity, are focused on finding quality replacements for their departing stars.
“It is an unfortunate part of professional sport that things like this have to be dealt with during the season but as always, it also creates an opportunity for us for next season,” he said.
“We have a number of thoughts and options that we will work through and, as always, will then make the right and timely decisions and announcements on all our future recruitment.”