Huddersfield Giants boss Ian Watson makes Ricky Leutele admission

Ricky Leutele has been one of the most impressive signings in recent seasons for Huddersfield Giants.

After making the move to the John Smith’s Stadium ahead of the 2021 Super League season, Leutele has gone from strength to strength, becoming one of the most potent attacking threats throughout the whole league.

It’s been no surprise, therefore, that the powerful centre has been attracting interest both domestically and from abroad.

Having said that, Watson is keen to keep Leutele at the club – and why wouldn’t he? Though the former Salford Red Devils boss was keen to stress the impracticalities of a salary-capped sport.

“We’ve spoken with Ricky and his agent, but he wants to stay and we want him to stay also,” Watson said.

“We’re in a salary-capped sport and it’s impossible to get to where some players want to get to.”

Watson was also keen to stress that not many new names will be heading to the John Smith’s Stadium for 2023.

“We don’t need to make loads of signings we just need to build on what we’ve got,”

It remains to be seen whether or not Leutele will sign on the dotted line for Huddersfield especially when The Mole at the World Wide of Sports previously reporting that Leutele wants to return back to the NRL.

Of course, the Samoan international was part of the Cronulla Sharks side that won their first-ever Premiership title in 2016, with Leutele forever being remembered as the one making the final tackle of the 2016 Grand Final just when Melbourne looked like they were going to snatch the game.

At Huddersfield, the 32-year-old has become a cult hero with his brilliant attacking threat and big hits in defence making the crowd stand up on their feet.

As such, other Super League clubs have also reportedly been sniffing around the hulking centre with Leutele a likely candidate for the Super League Dream Team at the end of the year, despite his recent bad injury.

Sky Sports pundit Brian Carney revealed that both the Wigan Warriors and Catalans Dragons were after the centre earlier in the year, but Watson revealed that he had heard nothing of the sort.

Still, Huddersfield will want to tie a deal up sooner rather than later.