Four overseas players that Leeds Rhinos could look to sign

Leeds Rhinos are set to have two quota spots available for next year, following confirmation of the players that will depart the club at the end of the season.

Brad Arthur has said this week who the side will be looking for: “Not so much a winger – another quality outside-back to keep everyone honest and have competition for spots would be handy.

“And a strong front-rower who can get out some good minutes would be ideal as well.”

With that in mind, here are some players we think could make the move.

Four overseas players that Leeds Rhinos may look to sign

Maika Sivo

Maika Sivo is a winger that the Brad Arthur’s former side – Parramatta Eels – have reportedly been keen to move on for much of this season.

He’s spent time in the reserve-grade this year due to injuries and poor form, and may be the first to go now that incoming Parramatta head coach Jason Ryles is keen to move players on.

Sivo is contracted for another year, but it looks like he’s set to have that cut short.

David Fusitu’a has been let go, the club have confirmed, so even though Arthur said a winger isn’t necessarily what they’re looking for, it might still be an option.

Sivo has a remarkable try-scoring record – 98 in 111 NRL Premiership games, at the time of writing, and may be an option for the Rhinos immediately.

Reagan Campbell-Gillard

Campbell-Gilliard has another year to go on his contract but has reportedly been looking at Super League as an option to move on.

Playing almost 100 games at prop under Brad Arthur, he’s got almost a decade of NRL experience with both Penrith Panthers and the Eels.

The loan signing of Sam Eseh showed the fragility of their prop situation after Tom Holroyd and Sam Lisone had concussion problems – and they’ll surely want to use their quota spot to sort their forward pack situation for 2025.

This could be a smart move.

Martin Taupau

A man that’s been perennially linked with Leeds Rhinos for the best part of a decade, it seems his days at Brisbane Broncos are numbered.

A former Samoa and New Zealand international with almost 250 NRL appearances, he’d be a big-name signing.

For Manly Sea Eagles alone, he made 156 appearances, and got his big break at Canterbury Bulldogs due to a suspension for former St Helens star James Graham freeing up a starting spot.

In fact, he was of interest to Arthur’s Eels in 2022, with both sides interested but unable to make the move happen due to salary cap restraints.

A main-stay of the side in 2023, he’s made just a few appearances this year due to the emergence of young talents and the form of Corey Jensen.

He would add power and leadership to the weak Rhinos pack.

The salary cap, according to News Corp, will mean he won’t have his contract extended, with big deals for forwards, as well as a huge reported offer to Reece Walsh of over 1 million Australian dollars, will put a strain on it.

Therefore, it seems very likely that a move is possible.

Izaac Thompson

Rabbitohs outside back Izaac Thompson is on the radar of many Fantasy coaches after being tipped to start in Round 1. pic.twitter.com/e1xVFRyqX1

— NRL Fantasy (@NRLFantasy) February 6, 2023

Primarily a winger for much of his early career, Thompson has switched between centre and wing pretty evenly this season.

His side, South Sydney Rabbitohs, have had a horror season by the club’s standards, and they lost in all four of his NRL appearances this season.

However, he has nine tries this season – and scored in three of four of those first-grade appearances.

At 6’4”, he would certainly shore up this Leeds Rhinos side, and may look to reignite his career in the UK after his contract expires at the end of this year.