Why Brodie Croft’s transfer to the Leeds Rhinos is more complicated than people realize.
The Rhinos have made it known that they want to sign the current Man of Steel.
Leeds Rhinos’ interest in Brodie Croft is no longer a secret.
The Rhinos put in a bid to hire the Salford Red Devils halfback for 2024 and beyond, making him a sought-after man.
There will now be discussions between Leeds and Croft’s representatives as the two clubs are believed to have reached an agreement on the terms of a deal.
Leeds fans appear to believe that reaching a contract with the player will only be a formality, but the situation is very different.
Croft became one of the highest-paid players in the Super League when Salford signed him to a historic contract earlier this year.
In addition to making him a marquee player and paying him significantly more than £200,000 annually, they gave him these terms as part of a seven-year agreement that also included NRL release clauses.
Leeds won’t be willing to honor that contract, and that assumption is a very reasonable one.
The other aspects of the deal may prove to be more problematic than the salary, though that is possible.
To begin with, it will be difficult to find a club willing to give any player a seven-year contract, let alone one with such a high salary, and Leeds will understandably be reluctant to include release clauses given that they paid a sizable transfer fee and are looking to the future.
Croft is not only being well paid, but he also has long-term security, so why would his agent leave? Beyond that, there’s also the player’s happiness to take into account.
It’s important to reflect on Croft’s journey to Salford, where he arrived frail and unconfident following a trying time with the Brisbane Broncos.
Salford have assisted him in returning to his best and winning Man of Steel.
He enjoys his membership at the club and lives nearby. He is not believed to be trying to leave the club.
Following that, consider Leeds’s surroundings.
There is no denying some of the Rhinos’ attractions, including the fans, the infrastructure, and so forth.
However, Salford ultimately finished ahead of Leeds in the table, and the fact that he won the Man of Steel is a strong indication that Salford knows how to get the most out of him.
Put all that together, weigh up the advantages and disadvantages, and moving to Leeds doesn’t seem as appealing as some might think.
The irony of the circumstance is that Salford, who frequently lose important players, now have one who wants to stay but whom they must let go. The club needs him off the books because they are unable to pay his contract.
Given their financial difficulties and the fact that they are one of the Super League teams with the lowest spending levels, it is reasonable to wonder how Salford could ever afford to fund such a deal. Some have claimed that it was written to protect them when they sold the player, but given the size of the transaction, it may actually make a deal more difficult to complete. Talk about ironic.
We’ll have to wait and see if the deal is completed.
Time will tell whether or not the player wants it to happen—the two clubs undoubtedly do.
