Brad Arthur commits to Leeds Rhinos as club secure long-term stability
Brad Arthur has made his biggest commitment yet to Leeds Rhinos after agreeing a new long-term deal with the club.
A two-year contract extension will keep the Australian at Headingley until at least the end of the 2028 season, effectively ending talk of a return to the NRL.
Arthur originally took over in the summer of 2024 on a short-term deal and had previously been reluctant to look too far ahead, citing family reasons.
This latest agreement, however, represents the clearest sign so far of long-term stability under the 52-year-old.
"I'm really pleased to extend my time with Leeds Rhinos," said Arthur.
"From the moment I arrived, I felt the passion that exists throughout this club – from the players and staff to our supporters.
"We've put a process in place to bring through the best young talent and I'm looking forward to seeing that flourish in the years ahead. We have a fantastic coaching, conditioning and medical staff, who are all committed to the club for the future.
"I've enjoyed every aspect of being part of Leeds Rhinos and am excited by what we can achieve together over the coming years.
"We're building something that can make our supporters proud and I'm looking forward to continuing that journey."
Arthur has overseen a significant change in fortunes at Headingley, transforming Leeds from unconvincing play-off hopefuls into genuine title contenders.
The Rhinos achieved their first top-four finish since 2017 last season and lead the way at the halfway mark of this campaign following Thursday's long-overdue home win over St Helens.
Arthur's influence has extended beyond results, with the former Parramatta Eels boss reshaping the club’s culture and standards.
Leeds face another period of transition as several key figures prepare to move on but they now have stability at the top under Arthur.
Sporting director Ian Blease said: "This is a hugely important announcement for Leeds Rhinos.
"Brad has brought outstanding leadership, professionalism and clarity to our rugby programme since joining the club. He has earned the respect of everyone across the organisation through his work ethic, standards and commitment to improving the team every day.
"We've been extremely impressed with the progress made under Brad’s leadership and, just as importantly, the culture he has helped create throughout the club. There is a shared belief about where we're heading and securing Brad’s future enables us to keep building a squad capable of challenging for major honours.
"Brad is one of the most respected coaches in the game and we're delighted that he has committed his future to Leeds Rhinos through to the end of the 2028 season."