Mikolaj Oledzki has revealed how withering criticism of his Leeds Rhinos side helped to inspire their stunning transformation from no-hopers to Super League Grand Finalists. Richard Agar infamously quit as head coach after just six games of the season because he felt his players were no longer responding to his methods.
A fight with relegation loomed, but club legend Jamie Jones-Buchanan stopped the rot during a brief spell in interim charge before Rohan Smith arrived from Australia in May to fashion a remarkable renaissance. The Headingley giants face defending champions St Helens at Old Trafford on Saturday bidding to win their ninth Super League title, yet Oledzki reckons the Rhinos’ new-found resilience stemmed from being written off earlier this year.
Asked if criticism of the team had affected him, the Poland-born England international said: “Yes. I know you’re not meant to read stuff, but some of the things that you see as a player hurt you. As a player, you take it personally and feel like everything that you see is negative sometimes.
