It was not so long ago that Kruise Leeming was seen as one of the most important players in Leeds Rhinos’ squad. At the start of last season, Richard Agar appointed him captain of the eight-time Super League champions.
Leeming then helped the Rhinos to make the Super League play-off semi-finals in 2021 before his promotion as skipper. Although the Rhinos made a disastrous start to 2022 – prompting Agar to quit just six games in – they remarkably ended it challenging for the title.
Rohan Smith arrived in May and transformed a team of relegation-threatened no-hopers into Super League Grand Finalists. Leeds lost to all-conquering St Helens, but there was no shame in that and the turnaround they enjoyed under Smith was staggering.
