Winning silverware is the biggest motivator why one Leeds Rhinos player signed his new deal as he admits to underperformance in recent years.
Leeds Rhinos entered the off-season with seven players off-contract at the end of 2025 but they’ve already resolved the contract of one of those players with prop Mikolaj Oledzki signing a new three-year deal – tying him to the club until the end of the 2028 season.
That will take the Polish-born prop through his testimonial year in 2027 and he’s expressed his delight at getting a new deal done and dusted, whilst revealing the biggest motivators behind it.
Talking on the club’s YouTube channel, Oledzki said: “I’ve always kind of had two or three years (remaining) on my deal when I’ve signed a new one so I was pretty nervous to be honest.
“I’m just really happy to be staying another three years, having BA here and seeing the direction of the club at the moment. I’ve been here eight years now I think and it’s great to see the club going in a positive direction.
“I’m 26 now and when you look at how props play and the age, I’m probably getting to my prime and my best years are ahead of me I’d hope.”
‘I take it personally’ – Leeds Rhinos star on the club’s lack of recent silverware
Credit: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com
There is a major air of positivity around the Headingley club heading into 2025, despite back-to-back seasons without making the Super League play-offs – something that must change in 2025 for the club to have any notion of success.
Oledzki also referenced the lack of silverware in recent years with the Challenge Cup victory that he experienced coming in front of no fans on account of Covid-19 regulations – something he wants to rectify.
Asked about winning silverware as a team, the 26-year-old said: “That was a big part of it. I’ve been here eight years and we did get the Challenge Cup win but we’ve never experienced a win in a final with our fans there and we’ve got some of the best fans in the world, if not the best.
“To be able to win a trophy in front of our fans is top of my list and to add silverware to the cabinet. That’s my motivation and behind my decision to stay.”
With eight years and over 150 games under his belt at the club, the prop is becoming one of the established leaders and he explained that he takes the lack of success personally – insisting that the team’s underperformance in recent years must be amended.
“I feel like collectively, over the last few years, we’ve kind of underperformed and not reached our potential as a team,” Oledzki noted.
“I feel like that’s something I take personally – I want to make sure this club is up there and competing for trophies every single year.
“Now that I’ve been here that long, I take a big responsibility for that now and I want to make sure I’m a big part of the success that is to come hopefully.”
