Leeds Rhinos 2024 season preview
2023 recap
Underwhelming and inconsistent is probably the best way to sum up Leeds’ 2023 campaign. In fact, their final three games of the year capture the season perfectly. 50-0 and 61-0 defeats to Wigan and Catalans, followed by a 46-0 win over Castleford to finish. One thing that was consistent though was their position. The Rhinos dropped to 8th in late April, and with the exception of two weeks, they stayed their until the end of the year.
2023 position: 8th
Key signings
Mickaël Goudemand (Catalans Dragons), Lachie Miller (Newcastle Knights), Matt Frawley (Canberra Raiders), Paul Momirovski (Sydney Roosters), Brodie Croft (Salford Red Devils), Andy Ackers (Salford Red Devils), Kieran Hudson (Castleford Tigers)
Key departures
Aiden Sezer (Wests Tigers), Liam Tindall (Hull FC), Nene Macdonald (Salford Red Devils), Kai Morgan (Salford Red Devils), Richie Myler (York Knights)
Players to watch
Paul Momirovski has proven to be a solid backup in the NRL with several clubs, and now he’s got a chance to nail down a starting spot in Super League, I fully expect him to take it. I’m on the fence with a lot of the arrivals from Down Under this season, but I’m convinced that Momirovski will be a hit.
Brodie Croft was a superstar at Salford, winning the Steve Prescott Man of Steel award in his first season. An outstanding signing for Leeds, I can see him having a big year, and with respect to last year’s number 6, Blake Austin, he’s an improvement for sure.
Young gun
Look out for Tom Nicholson-Watton in 2024. The young prop made his debut in the final game of 2023, and he’s earned rave reviews for his performances in pre-season. Expect to see him become a fixture on the bench this year.
Our prediction – 8th
I can see the Rhinos going close for a top six spot this year but falling just too short, as there are other good sides around them. I’ve been really impressed with their recruitment in the off-season and if the new boys can hit the ground running, they’ve got a great shot at getting into the play-offs. Unfortunately though, I’m just struggling to back them given their form in recent seasons, although they could be one of the year’s surprise packages.
