Leeds Rhinos have entered the race to sign Gold Coast Titans enforcer Sam Lisone. The 28-year-old has been made available to Super League clubs despite being under contract at the Titans next year, and Wakefield Trinity were among the clubs who had held talks with the player.
However, Rugby League Live has learned that the Rhinos are now increasingly keen on Lisone and have held talks with the player about a sensational switch to Super League. Bodene Thompson's departure at the end of the 2022 season has left the club with one available spot on their overseas quota for 2023.
It had been suspected Leeds might use that spot on Leigh Leopards centre Nene MacDonald, but the newly-promoted Super League club included him on their published squad list for next season at their rebrand event on Wednesday. Lisone is reportedly open to a switch to Super League too, having fallen down the pecking order at Gold Coast.
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He played in all of the Titans' first 14 games in 2022 but then didn't feature again. Lisone finished the year playing in the Queensland Cup for Tweed Heads Seagulls, and the Rhinos are believed to have identified the Samoan international as a potential target.
Leeds are well stocked on props for 2023, with Toulouse's Justin Sangare joining existing options such as Mikolaj Oledzki and Matt Prior at the club next year. But a player of Lisone's reputation and experience would add significant quality to Leeds' prop.
Another interesting wrinkle of any potential deal would be the status of Lisone's partner. The prop is in a relationship with Georgia Hale, the vice-captain of the New Zealand Ferns team who are travelling to England to play in this year's women's Rugby League World Cup.
Like Lisone, she also plays for the Gold Coast Titans in the NRLW and like her partner, is also under contract for 2023. That adds a potential complication to any deal - unless the Rhinos considered the prospect of a remarkable double swoop to try and bring Hale to the Women's Super League, where Hale, who can play in the halves, hooker or at loose-forward, would instantly become one of the standout players in the competition.
She is regarded as one of the Kiwi Ferns' most important players and is considered one of the elite talents in the women's game.
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