Kruise Leeming is set for a shock exit from Leeds Rhinos after being granted permission to pursue a deal elsewhere. Leeming, the club's senior hooker and former captain, has not been selected for Leeds' clash with Castleford Tigers tonight after talks surrounding his exit evolved during the week.
Leeming's representatives are believed to have held talks with the Rhinos and an understanding has been reached enabling them to pursue a contract elsewhere with immediate effect. The 27-year-old is under contract until the end of 2024 but now appears set to leave well before that.
It is news that will come as a shock to many given Leeming is one of the club's senior players. However, he lost the captaincy at the start of the year, with coach Rohan Smith instead deciding to run with no captain for the current campaign. Furthermore, Leeming found himself being utilised from the bench during last year's run to the Grand Final, with Jarrod O'Connor being preferred as the starting nine. Though Leeming started the first two games of the season, he found himself back on the bench for the victory over St Helens.
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Conversations about a potential departure are thought to have commenced in the week following that game. Those talks are now believed to have advanced to a point that Leeming's representatives are plotting an exit route out of Headingley.
When, and perhaps more interestingly, where, Leeming goes next remains unclear but it's understood the Rhinos would be willing to let him leave during the course of the current season. A departure would open up salary cap space to work with mid-season should the Rhinos wish to do so. Furthermore, they are believed to have already started their recruitment plans to replace Leeming. Inevitably, a number of clubs are likely to be interested after the recent developments.
Leeming is thought to have been fit to feature against Wakefield last week, despite sustaining a foot injury in the win over St Helens. He was named in the 21-man squad to face Castleford but didn't make the matchday 17.
While he remains at the club, it's unclear if he will be made available for selection. Corey Johnson has now recovered from back surgery and is available for selection while James Bentley made a cameo appearance at hooker last week.
Leeming has never been shy of expressing his ambition to play for England, having cruelly missed out on last year's World Cup. A mid-season foot injury came while he was in form and O'Connor's form at the end of the season saw his minutes reduced at the end of last year.
He joined Leeds in 2020 and has made 65 appearances for the Rhinos since, winning the Challenge Cup during his debut season. Now, however, it appears a move elsewhere is on the cards.
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