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2024 Season Review: Leeds Rhinos

11 Nov 2024

Leeds Rhinos missed the Play-Offs for the second straight season, and their season of frustrating inconsistency can perhaps be best summed up by one statistic.

At only one stage of the campaign - when they won three consecutive games from Rounds 23-25 - did the eight-time Grand Final winners win or lose more than two matches in a row. While that meant no long runs of defeats, it also ensured that the Rhinos were unable to put together a period of form that would lift them into a Play-Offs place.

That inconsistency led to the exit of coach Rohan Smith after a particularly disappointing mid-June defeat at Hull FC.
Smith - who had led the Rhinos to the 2022 Grand Final - said: “I believe this team can still achieve great things and I am proud of the work that the coaching team have done to develop players, especially the next generations.

“Unfortunately, I will not be head coach to see this development continue but I look forward to watching the club’s future successes and wish everyone at the club all the best for the future.”

After three matches with Chev Walker in charge - of which Leeds won two - former Parramatta Eels boss Brad Arthur took charge for the remainder of the campaign.

Although there were high points – most notably a 30-4 home win over Wigan - the Rhinos fell short of their top six goal.

While the team might have struggled to find the necessary consistency, individuals such as skipper Cameron Smith and back rower Rhyse Martin could not be faulted for their week-to week efforts.

Jarrod O’Connor, James McDonnell and Mikolaj Oledzki were also cornerstones of the pack, while Ash Handley finished as top try scorer, including a host of specular efforts in the early stages of the season.

No stopping @Ahandley16!??

The Rhinos level the scores with an outstanding try ?#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/pOaE4eCyE3
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) February 16, 2024

Fullback Lachlan Miller made more tackle busts than any other player in the competition and was seventh for metres gained, with Smith the leading defender in the league.

There was promise too in the performances of youngster Alfie Edgell, Tom Nicholson-Watton, Jack Sinfield and Riley Lumb.
But overall this was not a season to remember for one of Super League’s most successful clubs.

Coach Arthur, having initially joined only until the end of the season, committed for 2025 in August, explaining: “I said I would only stay if I felt I could make a difference.”

The South Stand faithful and entire support base will now be hoping that he can.

The Rhinos did come together in an unforgettable manner for one night in particular in 2024.

Nineteen days after the passing of Leeds legend and rugby league icon Rob Burrow, the Rhinos honoured his life on an emotional night of remembrance at AMT Headingley.

The whole sport united to pay tribute to Burrow, with the team paying its own perfect respects with an accomplished 18-10 win over Leigh Leopards.

The Rhinos open the scoring on an emotional night at AMT Headingley ?

Brodie Croft breaks the deadlock ?#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/2ICcFD9n9V
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) June 21, 2024

“I asked them to go out there and play with Rob’s spirit and they did that,” interim coach and Burrow’s former team-mate Walker said after the game.

“They were brave, they attacked it, and that is Rob all over that performance.

“I think he will be really grateful for the lads doing that for the club that he loved.”

Key Man

The loose forward played a skipper’s role all season, and Cameron Smith topped the tackle count for the entire competition as well as made over 2,000 metres.

Rising Star

The exciting outside back, Alfie Edgell, confirmed his status as one of the most promising players in the competition with six tries in 12 starts and will be looking to build on his 2024 progress next year.

Season Highlight

The 68-6 home win over Hull FC, with Alfie Edgell scoring four times, raised hopes of an unlikely late Play-Offs push, as did their emphatic home victory over Wigan in Round 21.

A stunning try from @leedsrhinos to open the scores ?

Lachie Miller and @rhysemartin combine to send @Harry3Newman crashing over ?#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/rdzYW5hLaf
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) August 10, 2024

But closing defeats to Wigan and Hull KR unfortunately ended those hopes.