Brad Arthur, the Australian coach whose name was high on the list of targets for the NRL's new franchise clubs, has decided his rugby league future remains in England with high-flying Super League outfit Leeds Rhinos.
The 52-year-old Sydneysider, who guided Parramatta to the 2022 grand final against Penrith, has signed a new two-year extension to his contract with the famous Yorkshire club, ending speculation that he'll return home to coach after the season's over.
The news came on Friday, the day after the Rhinos had gone top of Super League half-way through the campaign with a 24-16 victory over fellow powerhouse St Helens.
Arthur has proved a big hit in England with Leeds, taking over the struggling giants in the final 10 games of the 2024 campaign and guiding them to an eighth-placed finish, before they improved to fifth last year.
Leeds announced Arthur was now committed to Leeds until the end of the 2028 season, bringing relief to the Rhinos' fans who had heard him previously make no bones about wanting to return to the NRL at some point.
Both the PNG Chiefs and Perth Bears had been linked with interest in Arthur, before the Chiefs snapped up another top Australian Super League coach Willie Peters, who'll join from world club champions Hull KR, and the Bears plumped for Kangaroos' legend Mal Meninga.
Said Arthur, whose deal with Leeds had been due to expire at the end of the season: "I am excited by what we can achieve together over the coming years. We are building something that can make our supporters proud and I am looking forward to continuing that journey.
"From the moment I arrived I felt the passion that exists throughout this club, from the players and staff to our supporters. We have put a process in place to bring through the best young talent and I am looking forward to seeing that flourish in the years ahead."
