Why Kruise Leeming can agree transfer for 2024 before Super League stars

Kruise Leeming is currently a Gold Coast Titans player and made his debut at the weekend impressing against St George Illawarra Dragons.

The move to the Titans came after Leeming submitted a request to the Rhinos to leave the club.

Leeming joined the Rhinos in 2020 and helped them to the Challenge Cup in his first season.

In 2021 he was sensational making the Super League Dream Team and making his England debut.

Last year he was continuing his fine form in a struggling Leeds side until he picked up an injury. This saw Jarrod O’Connor displace him as Leeds’ first choice nine which is why Leeming looked for a move away from Headingley.

The most interesting thing about Leeming’s move to the Titans though is the fact he has only signed a deal for the rest of the season leaving the door firmly open for him to return to Super League in 2024.

Adding to this is an important detail that many have over looked. The rules about approaching an out of contract player in the NRL are very different to in Super League.

In Super League, clubs have to wait until May to make their moves with their current clubs given till then to tell players if they are going to be offered a new deal.

In the NRL, clubs can move for out of contract players the November before. Thus, Super League clubs can approach Leeming right now unlike other Super League players which will favour sides in need of a new hooker.

Barrie McDermott predicted recently that Leeming would return to Super League:

“Will we see him grow and progress and develop over the year in the NRL and then in 2024 after what may well be a short term deal, he might come back in 2024 to a club like St Helens, Warrington, Wigan might be Catalans Dragons.”

This could favour a team like St Helens with James Roby retiring or indeed the Warrington Wolves if rumours of a Daryl Clark move to Saints are true.

Speaking on Sky Sports tonight, Jenna Brooks revealed that if he returned to Super League he could join either Champions St Helens as Roby’s replacement or perhaps the Catalans Dragons.

She said: “His preference is to stay in the NRL but if he comes back to Super League I would expect either St Helens or the Catalans Dragons.”