Leeds Rhinos still hurting from St Helens loss but star says foundations in place for success next year
Prop Mikolaj Oledzki says Leeds Rhinos are still hurting from their shattering play-off defeat, but foundations have been laid for future success.
Rhinos’ 2025 campaign ended when they were pipped 16-14 by St Helens in a play-off eliminator at AMT Headingley. Leeds, who finished fourth in the Betfred Super League, didn’t trail during the 80 minutes and were eight points ahead late in the tie, but Saints snatched it with a try after the hooter had sounded.
Along with Hull FC, Rhinos were the most improved team in the competition, having finished eighth in each of the previous two seasons. This year’s points tally was eight better than last term and 12 more than they managed in 2023.
Assessing the campaign as a whole, Oledzki said: “It depends what you judge a successful season on. Probably starting the year, the main aim was to make the play-offs and give ourselves the best chance. I think that goal kind of changed along the way.
“Probably midway through the year you start looking at could we make top-two maybe? Then at the back end of the year you start thinking ‘we have got a good chance of the Grand Final here’.
“Obviously the way things ended will leave a bitter taste and a lot of disappointment because I think everyone thought we were capable of more. We believed in that and it is heartbreaking really, but that’s sport. It is a cruel game sometimes.”
Saints got back in the contest with a controversial converted touchdown awarded by video referee Chris Kendall, who overturned the on-field call. The RFL have admitted it would have been no try if Kendall had looked at other angles and Oledzki said. “It doesn’t make it any easier, but unfortunately nothing can be done about it now.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Oledzki insisted: “The good thing is, over the last few years the turnover in players has been quite big every year; we have lost a large amount of players every year and a fair number of new players have come in.
“You start the year trying to merge together and grow as a new group, whereas now, after a year full of progress and with a lot of positives to take out of it, I think we are in a good spot going into next year. There’s obviously some big losses in Sam [Lisone] and Morgan [Gannon] and they are big boots to fill, but a large chunk of our team is staying together. It is a great platform to build off for next year. We’re not looking too far ahead, but we are in a good place. [Last weekend] will hurt for a while, but there’s plenty of good stuff to take into this pre-season coming.”
As a member of England’s training squad, Oledzki is waiting to hear if he has made the cut for this year’s Ashes Tests against Australia. He stated: “Our domestic season has finished now and there’s nothing else I can do. I’ve just got to wait and see and hope what I have done this year is enough to put me in the mix. It would be a dream come true to be involved, so fingers crossed.”