Captain Cameron: This is my home

Leeds suffered a tough year in 2023, and perhaps this felt even tougher due to the high expectations that are constantly placed on the Rhinos side - given their famous winning history and success.

But there's one man who is shifting the focus and describes last season's disappointing outcome as a "lesson" to be learned for all involved as the team moves forward to 2024. And this man will be the Club's new captain for the upcoming season, the resolute and reliable 25-year-old Cameron Smith.

Our captain ? pic.twitter.com/7nw7EuHKaC
— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) January 17, 2024

"As much as people look at it as if we underachieved, I'm trying to look at it personally as a positive," Smith explained, who will be with the Rhinos until at least the end of the 2026 season. "This is because it taught me a lot about myself and that I don't ever want to be back in that position again.

"It's made me hungrier for this year."

Smith is a talented product of the Leeds Rhinos Academy and first joined their scholarship programme in 2013. As a young teenager, the loose forward fondly remembers watching his older brother Dan Smith take to the field with the Rhinos, which influenced his decision to do exactly the same.

"I realised it was an amazing set-up, an amazing team, and at the time Leeds were the greatest team. I aspired to play here and fast forward the years and I am still here.

"I'm fortunate enough to have been here for a number of years and I'll hopefully continue to be here for as long as I can," Smith continued, as he expressed how much the club meant to him.

"I absolutely love it here; this is my home."

Smith made his Rhinos debut in 2016 in a local derby against Huddersfield Giants, and would go on to make a further three appearances over the next two seasons. In 2018, he made a notable impact in the first team with his 19 appearances, before breaking into the first team in 2019 and becoming an integral part ever since.

And now he will lead the former eight-times Super League Champions as their club captain, where he joins a long list of Leeds greats. As Super League's second top-tackler for 2023 and winning Leeds' 2023 Player of the Year Award for his efforts, Smith has demonstrated his unwavering commitment and desire when in a Rhinos shirt, and now has the opportunity to inspire his team-mates to do the same.

On the captaincy appointment, Smith was initially surprised, given the amount of players with leadership qualities already existing within the team. This was despite serving as joint-captain on match-days last year, and he admits it was an extremely proud moment when his Head Coach Rohan Smith told him the news:

"It's pretty crazy. To be the captain of such a prestigious club with so much history means the world to me and I'm super excited to do it justice."

As the captain, a loyal Smith would love nothing more than to be able to guide his team to the success they once knew. But equally, he is aware of how important it is not to get swept away in these thoughts and ideas:

"It's about focussing on the week to week. If you're not focusing on the process, then the outcome won't come, because then you're chasing something that isn't getting ticked off in the week.

"As a leader in this team, I'll certainly be reminding people that we focus on the small things, the details - and that we focus on the team we're playing in a specific week.

"We aren't to get too carried away and too far ahead because then you can get lost in that."

The Rhinos have recruited effectively during the off-season and 2024 will see them boast a fresh and high-profile spine for 2024, as they look to reiterate the glory of the past in the upcoming campaign. According to Smith, their pre-season preparations have been a great success and he has spoken highly of the newcomers, recognising the skills and attributes they will add to the squad.

"We already knew a lot about Andy [Ackers] and Brodie [Croft] from playing against them recently, and they're exceptional players. And then you have Lachie [Lachlan Miller] and [Matt] Frawley from the NRL on top of that, who have come here wanting to win and add quality to the squad.

"I think it's super important that we've not only recruited awesome players but awesome people, and you can already see within this the squad.

"I've got that calibre of players to lean on and guide me when I need guiding and then I'm there to guide them too when they need my help."

With Round 1 of the 2024 Betfred Super League campaign fast approaching, where the Rhinos will host Salford Red Devils, Smith is set to lead his team out on home soil for the first time in the official captaincy role - and he is excited for what's to come:

"I'm looking forward to having a game every week. It's been a long pre-season and I can sense that everyone is itching and ready to go.

"I love the game, I love Super League and I also think it's amazing that every game is televised this year.

"Teams are only getting stronger and stronger and it will be a tough game every week. I'm excited for the challenge."