Hull KR have made plenty of key signings before the 2024 Super League season but one man that they missed out on was Tongan star Tyson Frizell.
International rugby is a huge honour and being capped by one nation is special but for Tyson Frizell he had that honour three times, representing Wales, Australia and Tonga during his illustrious career.
That’s a career nearing the twilight zone for the 32-year-old and there were strong links last year to him finishing his career off in England, notably with Hull KR.
Sadly for Robins fans, those talks were quashed when the forward re-signed with NRL club Newcastle Knights in a deal that tied him to the club until the end of the 2024 season.
Since then Hull KR have gone about recruiting a number of other forwards with Wakefield Trinity duo Kelepi Tanginoa and Jai Whitbread arriving at Craven Park, whilst they’ve retained hard-hitting overseas forward Jesse Sue.
Could Tyson Frizell still make a Super League move?
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 21: Tyson Frizell of the Blues is tackled during game two of the State of Origin series between the Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues at Suncorp Stadium on June 21, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Despite the Robins not landing Frizell in 2024 it’s not to say that the forward won’t be heading to Super League at all, Frizell’s contract with Newcastle set to expire at the end of the season.
As such that means teams can talk to him now about a prospective deal for 2025 and beyond and the Robins will likely be amongst those given Willie Peters’ ties to Newcastle.
Peters had an incredible first season coaching but before he made Hull KR a contender he worked in the NRL with Newcastle Knights, something that meant he had a connection to Frizell already.
Ultimately the deal couldn’t be done but it came incredibly close as revealed by Frizell who spoke with Zero Tackle about the situation, confirming that it was either the Knights or the Robins, and no one else.
Frizell explained: “[Willie] floated the conversation that if I was ever wanting to come over to England, I should give him a call. During the start of the year, I was up for contract, and he was the first person that made contact. I had a conversation with him. It was either most likely to go to Hull KR – or stay at the Knights.”
Obviously the 32-year-old opted for the second option, to stay with the Knights, but the allure of Super League could once again strike and see the Tongan international make a move for the 2025 season.
He’d be one of a number of veteran NRL forwards to make the move and make a major impact on Super League with Paul Vaughan being the current prime example in a long list of success stories.
