Parramatta are poised to poach controversial Roosters hard man Spencer Leniu for next season. The 25-year-old former NSW Origin and Samoan Test prop has a year to run on his deal with the Roosters, but the two clubs are set to come to an agreement whereby Leniu changes camps over the summer. A three-time premiership winner at Penrith, Leniu hasn’t quite managed to reproduce his Panthers form in his three seasons at the Roosters. This season, he has played just 10 games, six of which he has started on the bench.
He hasn’t scored a try and has averaged just 75 run metres a game, well down on the 93 he was able to produce weekly in his final season at the Panthers in 2023. The Eels are desperate for more firepower up front and see Leniu as a potential leader of their forward pack. Leniu will become the fourth big-name Roosters representative star to leave the club for next season, joining Angus Crichton (rugby union), Mark Nawaqanitawase (rugby union) and Connor Watson (Dragons). The club has signed just one player to date for 2027 - goal kicking Manly centre Reuben Garrick.
Junior coaches slammed after blunder Big drama at one NRL club’s junior grades where the coaching staff allowed several 17-year-olds to buy alcohol for the bus ride home after a recent victory. Once the parents and club officials found this out, the poo really hit the fan and the coaches were hauled over the coals - and rightly so - alcohol is a big enough problem for fully grown adults in the game, let alone teenagers. Some strict sanctions were handed out and it’s a safe bet they won’t be stopping off at Liquorland on the way home again anytime soon. Sele tipped for Dragons departure Tongan Test middle forward Hame Sele is hopeful of quitting the Dragons before the June 30 transfer deadline next week.
The 29-year-old has had an unhappy season at the Big Red V, making a mere five first grade appearances to date. Several rival NRL clubs who have been hit hard by injury have expressed interest in Sele and the Dragons are believed to be agreeable to let him go mid-season. Sele has played 94 top grade games since debuting for the Dragons in 2017, spending four seasons at Souths, five at the Dragons and one at Penrith. Manly lock down promising young gun Manly has beaten off interest from several rival clubs to re-sign promising fullback Oscar Crotty for the next three seasons.
The Sea Eagles are looking for a fullback when Turbo Tom hangs up his boots, and it may well be the speedy local junior from Forestville. Crotty, who also plays on the wing and is a noted try scorer in the Ball and Flegg Cups, is definitely one to watch in coming years.
