Credit: Imago

Richie Mills

Fri 13 March 2026 7:40, UK

Stuart Dallas has talked up Joe Rodon’s hardman status after being briefed by his Leeds United sources.

Rodon joined Leeds on loan from Tottenham for their first season back in the Championship in 2023 and went on to become a fan favourite at Elland Road.

While the Welshman tasted defeat at Wembley in the Championship Play-Off Final the following year, Rodon – who joined the Whites permanently in 2024 – starred in Leeds’ league title triumph in 2025.

The 28-year-old has been ever-present for Daniel Farke’s side this season as they try to secure their Premier League status for another year.

Now, ex-Leeds man Dallas has branded Rodon as a “perfect leader” for the Yorkshire side, while praising his durability and commitment to the cause.

Ironman Joe Rodon impresses Stuart Dallas

In December, Rodon etched his name into Leeds history as he became the first outfield player since club legend Norman Hunter to make 100 consecutive league or play-off appearances for the club.

Unfortunately for the former Swansea City player, that run ended at 104 as he picked up an ankle injury in the 1-1 draw at Sunderland on 28 December, forcing him to miss the New Year’s Day game at Liverpool.

Despite that, Dallas, who was also a Leeds stalwart before his career-ending knee injury, believes that Rodon is a great role model and expressed his “huge admiration” for the Welsh defender.

He said on The Official Leeds United Podcast: “I think for the likes of Joe, he’s the perfect leader for the team now in terms of how he leads on the pitch, off the pitch, never misses a game, very rarely misses a game.

“And from what I’m told, he very rarely misses a training session as well. That takes a lot, and I have huge admiration for people like that because I know I’ve done it myself. I didn’t like to miss a training session.

“And I think speaking to people within the club, Joe’s very much like that, never misses a training session, and it shows on the pitch because he never misses a game. To have somebody like that now is what the young players in the academy can learn from.”

Rodon has played 126 times for Leeds, scoring three goals along the way. Leeds fans will hope he is at his best for the Premier League run-in.

Daniel Farke must ditch safety-first approach at Leeds United

Heading into the final nine games of the league season, Leeds sit three points above the relegation zone in 15th.

West Ham’s upturn in form has brought the relegation-threatened pack closer together, with the 18th-placed Hammers now level on points with Nottingham Forest and just one back from out-of-form Tottenham.

Farke has done a good job in recent months of making Leeds competitive in matches and picking up wins and draws along the way.

But Leeds’ 1-0 defeat at home to Sunderland highlighted how Farke’s tentative approach can come back to haunt them. The German played a too defensive line-up for the visit of the Black Cats and Leeds were unable to break down their stubborn resistance.

While taking risks can prove costly, being reactive rather than proactive is also something that can derail a season. Next up, Leeds travel to Crystal Palace on Sunday, before hosting Brentford on 21 March.

Farke may go for a safety-first approach at Palace, due to their struggles on the road, but at home, Leeds need to take it to Brentford. If they don’t win any of these next two games, they could drop into the bottom three for the first time since December.