Sometimes in sport, and especially in rugby league, some news breaks that goes against what everyone expected.
Whether it was Luke Gale’s switch to Keighley Cougars ahead of this season – though he still ended up back in Super League – or Jake Connor’s move from Hull FC to Huddersfield Giants, rugby league never shies away from a shocking transfer story.
That was true over the weekend too.
On Sunday we were greeted with some shock news.
At the 11th hour, Wigan Warriors had swooped in for hooker Kruise Leeming beating Super League rivals Catalans Dragons to his signature.
The hooker had left Super League earlier this year but he will be back soon.
The Warriors announced that Leeming had signed a four-year deal with the club from the 2024 season.
The 27-year-old, who played for six years at Huddersfield Giants between 2013 and 2019, will join from the Gold Coast Titans whom he joined after leaving Leeds in April 2023.
Leeming has also represented the England Knights and the Combined Nations All Stars.
On signing for Wigan, Leeming said: “I am absolutely delighted to sign for the Wigan Warriors from next season.
“When I spoke to Matt [Peet] and Kris [Radlinski] their ambition, standards and culture at the Club really resonated with me.”
He added: “I believe my best rugby is ahead of me and when the time comes I will give it everything to help the Club achieve success on the field.”
Now it has been revealed by L’Independent that Leeming’s negotiations with Catalans ended because the club felt he would be too expensive.
Furthermore, they didn’t want to make Leeming a marquee player.
This is despite the changes the RFL has made to the marquee player rules.
The rules now state that sides can have up to three marquee players upgraded from two which is currently in force.
