Super League club set for huge number of exits

Leeds Rhinos are currently in turmoil. The club are languishing in eight place and their hopes of playoffs are all but gone; but how are they prepping for 2024.

The club have already confirmed several changes to their 2024 squad.

Blake Austin has already left the Headingley outfit, opting to take an opportunity to sign for Castleford Tigers on a loan deal; however is future post this season remains in doubt. Aidan Sezer will follow Austin through the exit door at the Rhinos as he has agreed a deal to join the Wests Tigers in the NRL, and Sam Walters is also on his way out of Leeds as he has signed for Wigan Warriors for the 2024 season. Former Rhino Kruise Leeming, who left the club early into the 2023 season, will also be playing his rugby in the Cherry and White next season.

However, the Rhinos have also announced some new acquisitions. The first piece of business was the capture of French international Mickael Goudemand from Catalans Dragons. The powerful forward will look to add a lot of firepower to the Rhinos pack next year. Things went quiet after that, however the recruitment wheel has started to turn again in recent weeks with the confirmed arrival of two NRL backs.

At the end of August, the Rhinos announced Newcastle Knights fullback Lachie Miller had signed a three year deal to bring him to Headingley, and then they announced the pending arrival of Canberra Raiders halfback Matt Frawley on a two year contract.

They have also brought in a record number of scholarship players into the professional set-up at the club, and whilst this may not have an immediate impact on the pitch, it could lay the foundations for success in years to come.

However, there is a lot of change coming as well and Rohan Smith said there could be up to six exits.

This came as he also said he is willing to talk to players like Luke Hooley over potential exits.

However, he is expected to join Castleford Tigers and Danny Ward has addressed this:

“I don’t really, I don’t know too much about that, or just reading what’s on the papers and things like that. It was not part of my task wasn’t coming and recruit players for next year. My task was to come in the 18 for six games and try and stay in Super League. So that’s all I’ve been kind of focusing on. There’s been conversations around, you know, lots of players giving small opinions but I’m not really involved in the recruitment and retention for next year at the minute.

“Oh yeah, we’ve been being at Batley, you know, I’ve come across him plenty of times with London. He’s a good young player, a strong young player, who wasn’t surprised when Leeds signed him on with the potential he’s got. So, yeah, I’ve come across Luke plenty of times in the game, as I’ve seen, of initiative.”

Rohan Smith has also had his say: “Luke will no doubt draw some interest I would imagine given that we’ve signed an established NRL fullback and Luke was brought in to be a backup fullback and he’s done a commendable job I think in recent times in tough circumstances.

“So he’s come in and he’s done his job. If something happens there external that will be a conversation but we’re looking forward to Luke finishing the season strongly with us.”

He admitted that he would be happy to have a conversation about a move for Hooley:

“I’d be happy to have conversations behind closed doors with players that want to explore their opportunities, particularly when it’s in a situation where we’ve recruited over the top of him essentially and we’ve still got Richie Myler with us.

“So if something happens there, we’ll have those conversations.

“We have conversations around not only the present but the future and the way it works in sport now when players are coming into their final year of their contract, sometimes they’re looking for that early security.

“Even around this time of year, they’re looking for their security of 2025 and beyond and sometimes you can’t give that to them. Sometimes it can work out in the best interest of the player and the club to move on but those conversations haven’t been had any time recently.”

He also spoke about assembling his squad for next year?

“Yeah that’s a disruption but it’s where most of the attention goes from the media is where players are signing and what’s going to happen to your roster next week and next month and next year. It’s an ongoing thing.

“That’s where recruitment and retention has basically become a 12 month of the year activity in the NRL and Super League because of that. Partly because of the speculation and partly because of players and clubs’ interest in securing their personal or the collective future. So there’s no right time sometimes, each situation is different.”