How Warrington Wolves tried to sign ex-St Helens and Leeds Rhinos star in unique way

Kyle Eastmond is an England international in both codes of rugby.

The former St Helens star burst onto the scene in 2009 and helped guide St Helens to the Grand Final.

He scored all 10 of Saints’ points in the defeat to Leeds Rhinos and was inches away from being the match winner but for a superb Kevin Sinfield tackle at 11-10.

He then inherited the number seven shirt vacated by Hull FC bound Sean Long but by 2011 he was headed to pastures new as he moved to rugby union where he would go on to be a success.

In 2021, he returned to Super League with Leeds Rhinos but fitness issues got in the way resulting in just a handful of appearances prior to retirement.

However, his career could have taken a different path had he chosen to join Warrington Wolves in 2011 in a move that would have made him more than just a player.

“Kyle Eastmond was going to sign for Warrington. A part of the deal with his agent was that he wanted to make Kyle a brand,” leading rugby league agent Craig Harrison revealed on the Full 80 Minutes Podcast.

“They took him to Warrington and Simon Moran was going to make him a global brand and took him to an awards dinner and this and that.

“I think he went to an X Factor show and was seen in the crowd. It was to keep him in the game.

“He tried to make Kyle this big thing and he was trying to do the right thing. He had only just gotten into the England side.

“Inevitably we lost him to rugby union but Simon would have been absolutely slaughtered by clubs and the game for trying to be a little bit different.”