Georgia Hale will leave Leeds Rhinos Women to re-join NRLW side Gold Coast Titans. The 27-year-old arrived at the club at the start of the season and debuted against York Valkyrie at Headingley.
A New Zealand international, Hale is the partner of Leeds Men forward Sam Lisone, who looks set to continue on at the club after also arriving in Super League this year. Hale also was quick to mention that she will be back at Leeds, avoiding speculation about her partner's future at the West Yorkshire club.
Hale wants to test herself back in the NRLW. Commenting on her decision, she said: "I have really enjoyed my time and experiences with Leeds so far, but I’m so looking forward to coming home.
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"I think sometimes you need to look at the bigger picture of life in general and to get to back near family and home comforts it just happens that the NRLW is the pull to get there, but I will be back at Leeds.
"My partner Sam Lisone is here and sees his future at the club and I am so in support of that. I really want to return and keep building my personal relationship with the club, but it's just a personal endeavor that I really do want to chase in Australia.
"The girls have been so great at Leeds. The efforts that Lois (Forsell, head coach) puts around her squad is admirable and I have just been really fortunate to be a part of that and see the system she has in place. It's just a shame that the distance between New Zealand, Australia and England is so far apart and on a different time zone which makes it quite challenging.
"I have enjoyed my role at Leeds Rhinos Foundation and there is such a buy-in from the community. When I have been into the schools there's lots of interest from girls to play rugby and clubs are keen to have teams so those are the seeds you need to plant for what you want to grow and that's the feel across the entire region. I think the girls game is in really good hands over here and will go from strength to strength."
Hale's last game for the Rhinos, for now, will be against St Helens on May 26. Forsell, meanwhile, added: "We are obviously disappointed for Georgia to be leaving the club. She has been great in her time with us and it's been really beneficial to have an international player of her quality in our squad and working with our young players."
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