Should Leeds Rhinos be concerned ahead of the 2026 season

Serious About Rugby League

With Gary Hetherington departing and no signings made so far, should Leeds Rhinos be worried ahead of 2026? Peter Smith, Sam Brocksom and Sam Cook debate that on this week's Serious About Rugby League Show.

Transcript

00:00Sam Seed, do you think these are maybe concerning times for Leeds

00:06with obviously people like Gary Hetherington going?

00:09There's been a big change in the youth department

00:11with John Bastian and Simon Bell going to Wakefield.

00:16I think it's seven players have left since the end of last season.

00:20And so far, though we believe that Danny Levi's incoming,

00:24they've not announced any more signings.

00:27Should Leeds fans be getting a little bit twitchy, do you think?

00:32I think there's two ways to answer.

00:34I think with the Gary Hetherington departing,

00:37I think if Gary Hetherington would have left two or three years ago,

00:41then there's big reasons to be concerned.

00:43But I think with the introduction of Ian Bleas as kind of sporting directory,

00:48he doesn't obviously fill the role, but he's a big figurehead at the club.

00:53Obviously, you've got Jamie Jones, Buchanan, taking over as well.

00:57So I think, and then the fact that you've had obviously not success in terms of silverware,

01:02but success in terms of a much improved season,

01:05it seems stable under Brad Arthur.

01:09Obviously, the contract questions will always pop up with him

01:12as long as he's got an interest in the NRL,

01:15which seems to be his main thing.

01:17But I think the club's in a far better place than if Gary Hetherington were to have left

01:22maybe at the end of the COVID season or 2021.

01:26So I think that's a positive.

01:28But in terms of the immediate future with the club and players leaving,

01:32I think there's a reason to be concerned.

01:33But I think what I've just said about Ian Bleas, in my opinion,

01:37is a man who can be trusted, I think, in terms of recruitment.

01:40He's got a track record of bringing on players.

01:46I think the more pressing issues, what you mentioned there about John Bastion

01:50leaving that youth set up, I think that has been the foundation

01:53of what makes Leeds so good.

01:55It's really exciting for Wakefield.

01:57I think if they can harness the sort of, and combine the spending power

02:02they've got at the moment, which is akin to sort of like Hull K.R.'s

02:06recruitment model, but then also bring in a youth system

02:09that can provide top quality players.

02:12I mean, they have done so already, but under John Bastion,

02:16that's only going to improve.

02:17So I think that's more the issue for Leeds.

02:20I'm not sure what the plans are there.

02:24You'll probably know better than me.

02:25So I think you've got to focus on that, but they do need a few more signings.

02:30I think you look at the pack and it's lost a lot.

02:34Sam Lassone, obviously, never started, but played every single game

02:37off the bench.

02:38Very hard sort of position to fill in terms of what he brings.

02:43James Bentley's left, Morgan Gannon's left.

02:46There's a lot to bring him.

02:47But then you remember that Mike Casivo is basically a new signing this season,

02:51so you can kind of consider him a new signing.

02:54But I think there's a lot to be done.

02:56But I think in Ian Blee's, fans should trust that argue.

03:01But again, looking at that youth thing,

03:04that's where the main concern would be from me.

03:07You're welcome.

03:08Here we go.

03:08Remember that's where the other person is going to talk about.

03:11I think it's just a little bit better.

03:12But I think it's worth it.

03:13I think we've got a little bit better than that.

03:16I mean, this is where I am going to talk about it.

03:18Well, I am going to talk about the next step.

03:21And I am going to be about it.

03:23I'll do a little bit better.

03:24I'm going to be about it.

03:26I love it.

03:27So you're going to have fun.

03:29So, I think we're going to talk about it.

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