00:02These Rhinos have suffered another blow ahead of the 2027 season with the departure of England prop
00:07Mikolaj Oczetski, who is joining New Perth Bears in the National Rugby League on a three-year deal.
00:16Oleski becomes the third Rhinos player confirmed to be heading to Australia for 2027,
00:22following the confirmed moves of Jane McDonnell and Harry Newman,
00:25underscoring the growing trend of Super League stars making the leap to the NRL.
00:31Another key departure is veteran forward Cameron Smith, who has agreed to join Wakefield Trinity next season.
00:37Oleski, 27, had only signed a new contract with Leeds last year,
00:41but it included an NRL clause that has now been activated.
00:45Head coach Brad Arthur acknowledged the disappointment of losing a homegrown talent,
00:50but framed as part of the modern professional game.
00:52He emphasised that departures create opportunities for young players and others in the squad to step up.
00:59Arthur also praised the club's recruitment and development work under Ian Bleece,
01:04insisting Leeds remain committed to building a competitive group for the future.
01:09With other key players already confirmed to be leaving, the Rhinos now face a summer of transition.
01:16Yet the club's leadership insists that while losing experienced stars is never easy,
01:20it opens doors to the fresh talent emerging for the Rhinos to continue evolving in the seasons ahead.
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