'It's not a rebuild': Brad Arthur addresses Leeds Rhinos squad evolution and own future

But that progress now faces its biggest test. With several long-serving players preparing to move on and speculation continuing around Arthur's own future, the club are entering another period of change just when they appeared to have found the stability they long craved.

Arthur, however, is keen to stress that Leeds are not starting from scratch but building on the foundations already established.

"It's not a rebuild," he insisted.

"Players come and go at clubs but if you've got a good environment, good systems in place and have invested in young blokes, you hope those guys can step up.

"Hopefully they can see a pathway. If you've got blokes in front blocking those opportunities, they become impatient and want to go somewhere else for an opportunity. It's hard to keep everyone."

At a time when supporters are looking outside for answers, the Rhinos are hopeful of finding internal solutions.

Arthur pointed to a group of players, including Max Simpson, Riley Lumb, Alfie Edgell and Ben Littlewood, who could potentially benefit from the departure of senior figures.

But the Leeds boss accepts the club must strike the right balance between promoting from within and recruiting proven quality.

"It also gives you an opportunity to look elsewhere to see if you can strengthen your roster," added Arthur.

"I don't know about a set number but certainly with Mikolaj (Oledzki) going, we need to add at least one or two.

"We also need to make sure we provide an opportunity for the young guys. We need to give a bit more time to this season and see how they develop before we start buying over the top of a few of them.

"We want to provide an opportunity for those guys to show us that they can step up."

Fresh from adding Oledzki to the signings of Harry Newman and James McDonnell, Perth Bears are also being linked with a move for off-contract half-back Brodie Croft.

Arthur is confident the new NRL franchise will not add to their list of Rhinos recruits.

"I don't think we've got any more they can take," he laughed. "The rest of the contracts don't allow it so I think that's the last of it.

"Brodie has a rolling contract and Bleasy (Ian Blease, sporting director) is sorting that out."

Alongside the talk of retention and squad evolution, Arthur's own future continues to attract attention.

Reports in Australia have linked Arthur with the PNG Chiefs, claiming he is on a three-man shortlist for the job.

But the Australian was happy to distance himself from the speculation.

"It's just all rumour, hearsay and talk," he said.

"I've got a rolling contract and don't want to go through this process again. Every time there's a job and someone writes my name in there, it doesn't mean I'm in for it.

"I love it here. It's great. My family is over and I'm really enjoying it. I've never had a problem here and am so grateful to the club."

That personal backdrop will come into focus this weekend when Leeds travel to Hull FC, where Arthur comes up against son Jake.

Having experienced the unique match-up in the NRL, Arthur Sr is putting all his energy into finding a response to last week's Challenge Cup defeat to Wakefield Trinity.

"I spoke to him early in the week but we haven't talked too much footy," said the Rhinos head coach, who will hand a debut to Jack Bird and recall Croft in place of long-term casualty George Brown.

"His sister has been more into him. They went over there last night, Charlotte and (wife) Michelle, to spend the night. They were very tight-lipped about anything Hull FC-related.

"It's just part of the game. The previous time, I found myself watching him and had to snap out of it because I had a team to watch. At least I had that experience and have been able to learn from it.

"My focus is purely on the Rhinos and what we have to do to get better from last week. His focus will be on how he helps Hull."

Arthur Jr will have a new half-back partner on Sunday after Aidan Sezer sustained a pectoral injury in training.

The Hull captain has joined the likes of Will Pryce, Herman Ese'ese and Joe Batchelor on a growing casualty list.

John Cartwright is not about to give his depleted side a get-out, though, as they look to eradicate the errors and penalties that have contributed to four straight defeats.

"There's no magic secret," said the Hull boss. "Last week was just a continuation of the week before. We're giving the opposition too many free goes at us and it's hurting us.

"It's a long, long season and we've just got to keep battling away. We've got to scramble as best as we possibly can, with the ball and without the ball, and come up with a gritty win.

"It's time for action now."