Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors and Hull FC are all looking for new halfbacks for the 2024 season and Leeds could have found one in the shape of 28 year old former Huddersfield Giants star Matt Frawley.
This was initially reported by Leeds Live as Leeds look for a new six and seven for the 2024 season.
They have lost Blake Austin to Castleford Tigers and will see Aidan Sezer join Wests Tigers in 2024.
Thus, Frawley would be a smart signing but Rohan Smith has remained tight lipped on the possibility of bringing him in.
He said: “I won’t get involved in media speculation.”
This could be a good sign given Smith’s comments about prior stars Leeds have gone on to sign.
The former Huddersfield Giants star is currently at Canberra Raiders and started in the halves for the Raiders scoring for the Green Machine.
You can watch the try here.
Great support play from Frawley! đź‘Ź#NRLRaidersBroncos pic.twitter.com/kOUe8L4mgi
— NRL (@NRL) August 26, 2023
If Leeds signed Frawley, he would still need a halfback partner and that could be Richie Myler.
He said: “Richie’s played a bunch of halfback in the time that I’ve been here and he’s played 300 games of halves over his career I think, so he’s got good versatility.
“He understands the situation and there will be opportunities for him to play in the halves next year and to still be a full back and cover there. You’ve always got to have depth in each position. That’s where that one’s at.”
Asked directly about Myler playing seven, he said: “Richie’s shown that he can play that position, we have a good understanding of how we want to grow and build our attacking footy and I think he really understands that so if he ends up playing a bunch of half-back next year that’ll be good too.”
This comes after the signing of Lachie Miller who is set to take the number one shirt it seems.
Miller, who joined the Knights this season from Cronulla Sharks, grew up playing Rugby League but forged a career in Rugby Union Sevens going on to play for Australia and represent his country at the 2020 Olympic Games.
He has made eleven appearances at full-back for the Knights this season but can also play in the halves.
Commenting on signing for the Rhinos, Miller said, “I am looking forward to joining such a prestigious club as Leeds Rhinos and excited to come across having spoken with Rohan and Gary to be part of the culture at Headingley.
“I really enjoyed my footie at the start of this season and I want to bring that to the Rhinos. It is a big change for my family, we have a newborn and two-year-old so it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our young family that we are ready to embrace and make the most of.
“I watch a fair bit of the Super League competition on TV over here in Australia and I am fortunate to be joining such a great club and hopefully I can add to the culture. I know the club has a history of mixing a core young English lads with the overseas guys and I can’t wait to play in front of the passionate Leeds fans at Headingley.
“I know there are a lot of connections between the Knights and the Rhinos over the years but I haven’t spoken to Brian McDermott or Danny Buderus yet about the club as we have been trying to get the deal done, I’ll definitely be seeking any advice they can give me though. I have spoken to some good friends of mine, Brandon Lee and Tyson Gamble, who have been coached by Rohan and they say what a legend of a guy he is. His style of footie, I think, will suit the way I like to play and I knew from the moment we spoke on the phone that he was a coach I wanted to be associated with,” added the 29-year-old.
Head Coach Rohan Smith added, “Having spoken to people about Lachie, everyone speaks about him being well respected and highly regarded by those who have worked with him. He is a quick, broken-field runner who is gaining in experience all the time having come across to League from Rugby Union later in his career. I think he will fit in well with our squad for next season and the plans we have for our style of play moving forward.”
