Brodie Croft breaks silence on NRL links and Leeds Rhinos future

Brodie Croft has refused to answer speculation on whether or not he was close to a return to the NRL in the off-season: insisting any questions about his future are solely for his management. 

The former Man of Steel was once again linked with a move back to Australia across the winter. St George-Illawarra Dragons were reportedly keen on pursuing a switch for the half-back, after Ben Hunt left the club to join Brisbane Broncos.

Ultimately, the move failed to materialise – though reports from Down Under at the time said Croft was keen on a return to the NRL but he couldn’t secure a release from his Rhinos contract.

Croft is understood to have a clause in his contract that would allow him to speak to other NRL clubs: but any approach from Australia came too late for that clause to be activated in time for a switch for the 2025 season.

But the half-back played talks over a possible move with a straight bat at Leeds‘ media day on Wednesday.

When asked by Love Rugby League what he had made of the speculation over his future, Croft said: “I keep out of all that stuff. I’ve done really well these days to block out that outside noise and worry about what I can control.

“That’s playing my best footy, wherever that is. I’m here today, getting ready for the 2025 Super League season with Leeds Rhinos. I’m excited for that and I can’t wait to see what this year holds for us, because we’ve trained so hard and worked hard under BA (Brad Arthur).”

Croft was then asked whether or not there was any substance to the rumours linking him with a return home. He said: “You’d have to speak to my manager about that. Those questions are really for my agent.

“He’s the one that does most of that deliberating. If anything comes about, he will bring it to my attention. That’s why I pay him the money to deal with that so I don’t have to deal with it. As I say, any of those questions have to be directed to my agent.”

Croft is under contract with Leeds until the end of the 2026 season, having signed a bumper three-year deal at the beginning of last season to make the switch from Salford Red Devils.

But despite having two years remaining on his existing deal, speculation continues to linger over a possible exit at some stage – though he will be a Rhinos player for 2025.