Brodie Croft opens up on sleepless nights over Leeds Rhinos exit decision
Brodie Croft has opened up on the family reasons behind his decision to leave Leeds Rhinos for Warrington Wolves, revealing the toll of commuting weighed even heavier following the recent birth of his daughter.
The Australian resisted Leeds' attempts to keep him at Headingley after concluding the demands of travelling from Manchester were no longer sustainable for his young family.
Croft rounded off an emotional week by scoring in the Rhinos' 52-0 victory over Huddersfield Giants.
"Monday was a day that I just needed to get through because I didn't sleep too much Sunday night knowing that I was telling the boys the news," he told The Yorkshire Post.
"There's a lot of love in this playing group. I love playing for Leeds and playing with my team-mates.
"It was a big decision but ultimately it was the best decision for my family. My family have got a nice little community there, the kids are in school – a lot goes into the decision.
"In hindsight, maybe we should have moved over at the start. I had many nights where I stayed awake wondering if I could do another two years on the M62.
"Ultimately, it's a lot of time on the road that you could be spending with family. My daughter was born two weeks ago. I had to do what's best for my family."
Croft received a mixed reception on Friday night, with some supporters voicing their displeasure while others sang his name.
The half-back acknowledged the frustration felt by a section of the fanbase.
"I get it," he said. "That's part and parcel of it.
"I understand that fans aren't going to be happy about it. I can only apologise for that.
"All I can do now is show that I'm still 100 per cent committed to what we're doing here at the Rhinos this season.
"This is the best playing group I've been a part of since playing at Melbourne. We've got so many senior players at the peak of their powers. Collectively, it's on us to get the club to the big games at the end of the year.
"Brad (Arthur) has got us really humming now. We know his systems and what his expectations are. He holds us to account every week whether we win or lose. We've got to keep performing."
Croft channelled his emotion to inspire the Rhinos to an emphatic win over the Giants, strengthening his Man of Steel claims with a standout performance.
But the 28-year-old, who won the award during his time at Salford Red Devils, insists his sole motivation is to guide Leeds to Grand Final glory.
"It's always nice to get some personal recognition," said Croft. "But I look back on that 2022 season when I did get it and we just missed out as a team. I'd give that medal back to win the comp any day.
"I'm fully focused on winning the comp because that would be really special with this group.
"I made that commitment at the start of the year. I made that verbal contract and now it's about me showing that I'm still fighting for this club."