Leeds Rhinos’ OUTRAGEOUS potential line-up for 2025 looks capable of trophies
From left to right: Maika Sivo, Keenan Palasia, Jake Connor and Ryan Hall have all joined Leeds Rhinos ahead of 2025
Leeds Rhinos’ new era under coach Brad Arthur is well and truly underway, with a major rebuild – in terms of recruitment – going on at AMT Headingley.
The Rhinos have made five new signings ahead of the 2025 campaign, with international wingers Ryan Hall (Hull KR) and Maika Sivo (Parramatta Eels) arriving alongside utility man Jake Connor (Huddersfield Giants).
Arthur has beefed up his forward pack, too, having signed Samoa international Keenan Palasia (Gold Coast Titans) and Queensland Cup star Cooper Jenkins (Norths Devils).
But what do all of these new additions do to the outlook of Arthur‘s strongest 17? With that in mind, Love Rugby League has come up with a potential Rhinos line-up for 2025: and it’s safe to say it’s considerably stronger than this time last year.
1. Lachie Miller
Despite having a habit to throw in a rocky performance, it was a positive first year at Leeds overall for Miller, who is contracted until the end of the 2026 season.
The Australian fullback ended the 2024 campaign with seven Super League tries to his name and 17 assists, setting four tries up against Hull FC in his final appearance of the year. The talent is there with Miller – of that there is no doubt – he just needs find consistency within his game and he will look to do that under Arthur and Co.
2. Maika Sivo
The Rhinos have pulled off a major coup in signing Fijian winger Sivo on a three-year contract from 2025.
Standing at 6ft 1in and weighing around 105kg, Sivo will be one of the biggest wingers in the competition next season. Leeds fans will be hoping he brings his prolific try-scoring stats over to Super League with him, having scored 104 tries in 115 games in the NRL for Parramatta Eels between 2019 and 2024.
3. Harry Newman
When Newman is on form, he’s right up there with the best centres in the competition. The issue is, he doesn’t deliver those type of performances week in, week out, which will be what he’ll strive for in 2025. Nonetheless, his quality is evident, and he will undoubtedly be in Arthur’s starting 13 come next year.
The England centre, who has performed brilliantly whenever given the chance on the international stage, is also contracted to the Rhinos until the end of 2026.
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4. Ash Handley
Given Leeds have signed two experienced Test wingers in Sivo and Hall, we think that could hint at a change in position for homegrown talent Handley.
With Sivo and Hall to start on the wings, Handley is likely to start next season in the centres alongside Newman, you feel. Standing at 6ft 3in and with plenty of pace, Handley could transition into a fantastic centre because he is defensively sound as well.
The Rhinos academy product is contracted at Headingley until the end of 2026.
5. Ryan Hall
Hall was among the very first confirmed transfers for 2025, announced back in April. Set to turn 37 next month, the veteran has penned a one-year deal back at Headingley.
An ever-present for Hull KR in 2024, he scored 14 tries for Willie Peters’ side in the regular season this year.
Hall will bring a wealth of experience upon his return to the Rhinos, having made almost 500 career appearances, including 42 caps for Great Britain and England.
6. Brodie Croft
Croft, contracted until the end of 2026, was Leeds’ standout in an ultimately poor 2024 season, showing that the Rhinos were right to splash the cash needed to bring him in from Salford Red Devils ahead of the campaign.
The half-back missed just two Super League matches and recorded 22 assists, scoring eight tries of his own as well as two drop goals in Golden Point wins. He isn’t a former Man of Steel for nothing.
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7. Matt Frawley or Jake Connor
Frawley seemed to improve as the campaign went on during his first year at Headingley, so Rhinos boss Arthur will hope that upward trajectory can continue in 2025 with the Australian playmaker off-contract. Frawley ended the 2024 season with six league tries and 11 assists to his name.
However, there will be plenty of competition for places at Headingley next year following the arrival of Connor, who has the ability to play fullback, wing, centre and half-back.
It’s unclear where Arthur intends on utilising Connor at the time of writing, but could he push for a spot in the halves alongside Croft? Only time will tell, of course.
8. Mikolaj Oledzki
Poland-born England international Olędzki, who is contracted at Headingley until the end of 2025, has become an integral part of Leeds’ side and squad over the last few years.
Averaging over 27 tackles per game in 2024, the prop had made over 100 metres per game on average.
9. Andy Ackers
Ackers joined Leeds from Salford ahead of 2024 alongside team-mate Croft as part of a bumper deal.
The hooker, who penned a deal until the end of 2026 with the Rhinos missed just three league matches in his first year at Headingley and made 117 runs from dummy half in total. In defence, he also managed an impressive 137 tackles from marker.
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10. Keenan Palasia
Making the move over from Down Under ahead of next season, 27-year-old front-rower Palasia has signed a deal which runs until the end of 2026.
The three-time Samoa international featured 15 times at NRL level in 2024, scoring three tries and taking his first-grade appearance tally up to 68 in the process. Arthur will want Palasia to lead from the front with his aggression and size next season.
11. James Bentley
One-time Super League winner Bentley remains under contract at Leeds until the end of next season having featured 14 times in the league in 2024, missing a large chunk of the campaign due to concussion-related issues.
The Ireland international back-rower averaged over 29 tackles per game though, including over seven per game from marker on average.
12. James McDonnell
Leeds wasted no time in handing youngster McDonnell a contract extension back in January, though that does only run until the end of next season.
If he continues on the upward trajectory he experienced in 2024, the Rhinos may well need to table another new deal his way sooner rather than later to keep hold of the Ireland international long-term.
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13. Cameron Smith
Leeds skipper Smith missed just one league match in 2024, and that came due to suspension. The loose forward averaged just over 84 metres per game, and made more tackles than anyone else in the competition (292).
There’s no doubt Smith will remain firmly in boss Arthur’s plans next year, with the academy product contracted at Headingley until the end of 2026.
Jarrod O’Connor (sub)
O’Connor is a perfect option to use from the bench given his ability not only to play at hooker, but he is now just as comfortable slotting in at 13, too.
The 23-year-old made 28 appearances for the Rhinos in all competitions in 2024, starting nine of them.
Cooper Jenkins (sub)
Leeds Rhinos have secured 23-year-old front rower Cooper Jenkins on a two-year contract for the 2025 Betfred Super League season from Queensland side Norths Devils.
— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) October 7, 2024
Jenkins is somewhat of an unknown quantity to Super League fans, with the Australian prop having not made his debut in the NRL.
However, the 23-year-old will add plenty of much-needed size to Leeds’ forward pack though, standing at 6ft 4in and weighing around 110kg.
Jenkins, who signed a two-year deal at AMT Headingley from 2025, helped Norths Devils secure their first-ever NRL State Championship this year.
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Tom Holroyd (sub)
Holroyd made just six appearances for Leeds in 2024 due to concussion-related issues, with his last appearance coming in a defeat to Hull FC on June 15.
It was reported by Love Rugby League back in August that Holroyd would undergo a specific return to play programme to ensure he is right for the beginning of the 2025 season.
Hopefully we will get to see Holroyd back to his best and, more importantly, injury free in 2025. He is one helluva front-rower on his day, as is evident by the fact he made his England debut at the age of 22.
Sam Lisone (sub)
The former Samoa international will head into his third season with the Rhinos in 2025, having made 48 appearances over the last two years.
Lisone has solidified himself as an impact player in the blue and amber jersey, with 39 of his 48 games starting from the bench.
If Lisone could just get that little more consistency in his game next season, then the Rhinos would be onto a winner.
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