Leeds Rhinos boss confirms player will remain with club in 2025

With the Super League season rapidly approaching its mid-point, planning for 2025 is well underway. The Leeds Rhinos have already one big move towards building their squad for next year by confirming the signing of club legend, Ryan Hall, for the 2025 season.

However, the Rhinos also face losing several key players who are out of contract at the end of the season. According to reports, the Rhinos have as many as six players off contract at the end of the season, including key players such as Rhyse Martin, Luis Roberts and James Donaldson.

Now, head coach, Rohan Smith, has given an update on the future of one of Leeds’ off-contract players. He confirmed the player would remain at the club for the 2025 season.

QUIZ: Can you name these former Leeds Rhinos players?

Leeds Rhinos boss confirms player will remain for 2025

Talented youngster, Kieran Hudson, joined the Rhinos ahead of the 2024 season from the Castleford Tigers. However, Hudson is yet to feature for the Rhinos first team, due to an injury he sustained with Castleford.

Speaking in his weekly press conferencepress conference, Smith confirmed that, despite his lack of game time, Hudson would remain with the Rhinos in 2025.

“Kieran’s contracted he will be with us next year.”

Elaborating on Hudson’s injury troubles, Smith explained the nature of the injury which Hudson sustained at Castleford and why it has taken so long for him to return to full fitness.

“Yeah, Kieran’s had a few hiccups, which aren’t uncommon on the back of a really long Achilles rehab that he brought with him from Cas last year, which he was well down the path of being back from that by the time he joined us. He’s had a couple of other little niggles.”

Smith expects Hudson to feature this season

Smith did confirm that he expects Hudson to feature for the Leeds first-team in the 2024 season. Smith believes he is about a month away from fitness and that, after that, he should be in contention for a debut in the second half of the year.

“Now, Kieran’s got a very different background in rugby league to what the majority of players. Last year at Cas was his first time in a full-time operation and very early in the piece he did his achilles, so he missed pretty much a year of that full-time training and he was a full-time rehabber.

“So he hasn’t got that base under him that many of our young players have had from sort of 15 coming into our program in scholarship and working their way through. So, Kieran’s got plenty of work to do, but he’s not too far away from a return.

“He’s probably a month or so away. And he’s eager and he’s had some good performances in reserves and a little cameo he had at Halifax there before he got one of his bumps there. He was certainly throwing himself about, he’s a very physical player, and we welcome him getting back and building him up to get some time in the second half of the year.”