Exclusive: Leeds Rhinos are expected to finalize other transfers.
One could argue that Hull KR, Leeds Rhinos, and Wigan Warriors are setting the standard for recruitment in the run-up to the 2024 Super League season.
Wigan Warriors and Hull KR seem to have finished their hiring, while the Rhinos are expected to have more business.
This year, Wigan signed Sam Walters from Leeds, possibly to take Kai Pearce-Paul’s spot in the NRL.
Additionally, they have signed Krusie Leeming, a hooker for the Huddersfield Giants and a former teammate of his from the Gold Coast Titans. In keeping with the trend of British players joining NRL teams, Wigan has added Luke Thompson, a former St Helens player, to complement Tyler Dupree’s early 2023 arrival.
Hull KR has added standoff Tyrone May, while Wigan has added Adam Keighran and Tiaki Chan from Catalans, the team from which all three of these teams have signed.
Additionally, Niall Evalds from the Castleford Tigers, Oliver Gildart from the Leigh Leopards, Peta Hiku from the NRL, and Jai Whitbread from Wakefield Trinity have all signed with Hull KR.
This recruiting is similar to that of the Rhinos, however they are expected to sign more players. It is widely believed that the Rhinos will add a forward and an outside back.
Serious About Rugby League has learned that the Rhinos are thinking about making a few more signings, but they won’t likely be big names like Brodie Croft and Andy Ackers, who Leeds announced recently after spending £300,000 on each of them.
Leeds’ team is primarily put together for 2024. The six and nine shirts will go to Croft and Ackers, respectively.
Lachie Miller has signed with the Newcastle Knights to play fullback, and Paul Momirovski, a former NRL champion, has signed to take Nene MacDonald’s spot at fullback. MacDonald will join the Salford Red Devils for a four-year contract beginning in 2024.
In addition, Matt Frawley, a former stand-off for the Huddersfield Giants, has joined the Rhinos from the Canberra Raiders to wear the number seven shirt.
Although Mickael Goudemand has also joined from Catalans Dragons, it appears that the team plans to add one or two more players to bolster its roster.
It looks like 2024 will be a tremendous year for the Rhinos.
They’ve been associated with some major acquisitions, including NRL players Ryan Sutton and Tom Burgess as prop options.
Both of these choices, though, would probably be challenging to arrange as neither is currently under contract.
