Leeds Rhinos have confirmed that Brodie Croft will leave the club at the end of the season and their sporting director, Ian Blease, has had his say on the news.
Croft, who is off-contract at the end of the season, has had a blistering start to the year and despite the Rhinos’ hopes of re-signing the Australian, they have ultimately failed.
Whilst Leeds have not confirmed where Croft will be playing his rugby in 2027, it’s understood that he will sign with Warrington Wolves in a cross-Super League switch that will make his exit even more of a bitter pill for the Rhinos to swallow.
Leeds were aware they’d have to fight to re-sign Croft and despite tabling what Ian Blease called a ‘firm offer’, the club have ultimately been unable to retain the services of the former Man of Steel.
The club have now confirmed news of Croft’s impending exit with a statement from Ian Blease also provided.
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Ian Blease’s first words as Leeds Rhinos confirm Brodie Croft exit
Blease was the man who helped bring Brodie Croft to Headingley with both men arriving from Salford Red Devils, for whom Blease had initially signed the Australian back in 2022.
On the news of Croft’s exit, Blease said: “Naturally this was disappointing news for us to hear from Brodie’s management. My relationship with Brodie goes back a long way having first brought him to Super League with Salford back in 2022.”
Blease confirmed why Croft was leaving, explaining that the move was do to with Croft wanting to play his rugby closer to his home to the North West of England, a not so subtle indicator that it is Warrington Wolves who have signed the former Man of Steel.
The Leeds Rhinos sporting director said: “I have been in discussions with him and his team for over six months to try and keep him at AMT Headingley. I understand from Brodie that is not a financial decision but the fact he wants, with three young children, to play his rugby closer to his home in the North West. All parties have tried to work on ways around this but at the end of the day, Brodie has made the decision he feels is right for himself and his family, and I fully respect that.
“Our Chairman Paul and the Caddick family made a significant investment in Brodie when the club paid a large transfer fee to bring him to the Rhinos from Salford back in 2024 and I know that Brodie has enjoyed his time at the club, particularly the last eighteen months. As a club we have put ourselves in a good position at this stage of the season and collectively we will all focus on fulfilling our potential for 2026.”
Blease concluded: “It is an unfortunate part of professional sport that things like this have to be dealt with during the season but as always, it also creates an opportunity for us for next season. We have a number of thoughts and options that we will work through and, as always, will then make the right and timely decisions and announcements on all our future recruitment.”
Leeds Rhinos have confirmed that stand off Brodie Croft, 28, will leave the club at the end of the 2026 Betfred Super League season.
More https://t.co/rfStKzou37 pic.twitter.com/q7kj0gYuDZ— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) May 18, 2026
