The season has finished for eight of the twelve Super League clubs and therefore the focus has turned to squad building for 2024 and there’s few teams who need a bigger revamp than Leeds Rhinos with both of their starting halves having left Headingley.
As such the hunt for their replacements has began and is halfway done with matt Frawley entering the fray from the NRL however they’re still on the lookout for another playmaker it would seem.
Per Rugby League Live that man is Brodie Croft, the 2022 Man of Steel, with the Salford Red Devils man subject to a large bid from the Rhinos regarding a move for 2024.
Only last Friday the Salford Head Coach Paul Rowley was rather awkwardly asked about links of Croft to Leigh Leopards instead, to which Rowley evaded the Sky Sports questioning artfully.
He has now since appeared on the BBC 5 Live Rugby League podcast and come under the interrogation of reporter Dave Woods and Rowley has issued a clear update that might disappoint Rhinos fans, but reassure those Salford fans.
Rowley explained: “I try to stay off and I don’t read a lot of the old rugby news, I only do the bits that concern myself.
“Last time I spoke to Brodie, he was looking forward to next year and having some good conversations. So as far as I’m concerned he’s still our player.”
He also fired somewhat of a shot at other Super League clubs in reference to the exodus of overseas stars that Salford have seen over the years be it Jackson Hastings, Ben Murdoch Masila or potentially now Croft.
“Yeah, I mean it seems like we discover and build and other people want to come and they don’t want to take the risk, we take the risk and polish them and then they take them.
“So, unfortunately for us that’s where we stand on the food chain I guess, but I’m hoping that changes at some point.”
Leeds Rhinos do have an announcement today in the coming hour though which could reveal a lot more about the future of Brodie Croft and these links to Headingley, but per Paul Rowley he is a Salford player and he doesn’t expect it to change seemingly.
