'He's the best prop in Super League': Leeds Rhinos powerhouse Keenan Palasia hails in-form teammate
Mikolaj Oledzki has been hailed as the best prop in Super League by his Leeds Rhinos teammate Keenan Palasia.
The powerful duo’s formidable front-row partnership has been the engine room of Rhinos climb to top spot on the table this year and both were outstanding in last week’s 34-8 defeat of champions Hull KR. Now Palasia reckons Oledzki is in pole position for an England spot at this year’s World Cup.
“I would say he is the best prop in the league,” Palasia stated. “I think last year he showed how good he was as well and he has built on that this year. We just get to jump on the back of his hard work.
“In my opinion, he will be going to the World Cup. There’s a lot of great forwards that could get picked for the England side in this competition and back in Australia as well; he is a good mate of mine so I am a bit biased, but I am putting him in the starting team.”
Palasia is another Rhinos man who could be involved in this autumn’s tournament in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. He has been capped four times by Samoa, but insisted: “I haven’t been thinking about the World Cup at all.”
He stressed: “I am putting all my effort into winning for Leeds at the moment. That’s what all my sights are set on, Leeds being league leaders and winning the competition at the end of the season. I think once we can do that I can think about whether I get picked to play for Samoa.
“It is possible because I am Samoan, but whether I get picked or not is a different story. I am just focusing solely on Leeds Rhinos at the moment.”
As good as Palasia has been this year, he reckons he can - and has to be - better as Rhinos approach the business end of the campaign. “As a professional athlete in general you should always be striving for a bit more,” he vowed.
“Come the play-offs I am hoping I can lift another level. I think I’ve got a few things to improve on defensively, but at the moment, where we are, I don’t think there’s much more I can ask for.”
The same applies to Leeds as a team, Palassia added. “We’ve built a solid foundation and some confidence in the club, but these past games don’t mean anything, realistically,” he said. “Now is when all the important games start and the play-offs as well is where we have to show how good we are.”
Next up for Rhinos is Sunday’s Magic Weekend derby at Everton FC’s Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool. Leeds trailed Bradford Bulls 8-6 at half-time of the sides’ Easter meeting at Odsal before going on to win 24-12 and Palasia predicted: “It will be another tough game like that.
“We know Bradford are going to play a good game against us. I knew they had a lot of talent in their roster and they have put it on display this year. I think they are building towards something bigger, I am excited to be a part of that in this competition and I can’t wait to play against them in future.”
Palasia was a member of the Leeds side which beat St Helens at last year’s Magic event in Newcastle and is a fan of the concept. He is available despite picking up a disciplinary charge from last week’s game and stated: “I do like it, I might have to get some bigger studs in my boots, for playing so late in the round, but it is a good event. I played in it back in Australia as well and it’s something good to help grow the game.”
Rhinos are the second day’s middle game and the venue will be packed. “We’ve got a bunch of big-game players, like Jake [Connor] and Lachie [Miller], so the bigger the game, the better that helps me on the field,” Palasia added.