Leeds Rhinos boss Brad Arthur has provided a definitive update after his side were linked with NRL forward Royce Hunt.
An Australian media report earlier this month claimed Rhinos were “chasing” Hunt, who played for Samoa in the 2022 World Cup final.
Arthur subsequently confirmed “some discussions” had taken place with the 30-year-old, who is still under contract at current club Wests Tigers until the end of 2027.
However, the prop has since suffered a pectoral muscle injury which is expected to end his season and, speaking at his weekly preview press conference today (Tuesday), Arthur said he is no longer a target.
“The talks with Royce have dropped off,” Arthur revealed. “I think it happened before that [his injury].”
Five first-choice players – centre Harry Newman, stand-off Brodie Croft, prop Mikolaj Oledzki, second-row James McDonnell and loose-forward Cameron Smith – will leave Rhinos at the end of this season and, at present, no new recruits for 2027 have been announced.
Aussie Jack Bird arrived from Wests Tigers at the start of the current campaign as a long-term replacement for Newman and Leeds will give home-grown youngster George Brown an opportunity to succeed Croft in the number six jersey.
A deal is understood to have been done to bring back-rower Morgan Gannon back to the club after a season in the southern hemisphere NRL with New Zealand Warriors, but Rhinos are searching for a middle-forward, and Arthur previously said Hunt was one of “quite a few” players they have spoken to.
Leeds also have some contract decisions still to make, with Jeremiah Mata’utia, Chris Hankinson, Kallum Watkins and Ryan Hall all off-contract at the season’s end. Ned McCormack is another who is without a deal at Headingley for 2027, though Wakefield Trinity are reported to have secured his signature.
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