I'm a 3. Just the first bit.

https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/rumour-mill-5-19383/ Leeds Rhinos are reportedly interested in Melbourne Storm prop Sam Kasiano and Patrick Kaufusi

https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/rumour-mill-5-19383/ Leeds Rhinos are reportedly interested in Melbourne Storm prop Sam Kasiano and Patrick Kaufusi

Would be surprised if we weren't to be honest. This is exactly the kind of opportunity we needed though; to have some cap space to snag a late availability NRL first grader.
For me, if we can get that front row sorted this year (which also allows us to play Merrin at loose), it allows us to make decisions at half back and acting half. Once the pack it reliably doing its job, we can have a fair look at the 9, 6 and 7 to see if those players are of the right stuff to deliver silverware or not. If we can make those decisions in 2019 there really aren't any excuses then for 2020, at least in terms of us being truly competitive.

I'd also be suprised and disappointed if we weren't.

Apparently, we are in talks with Ava Seumanufagai from Cronulla. He's decent, but not the impact making meter eater we need. He won't really bend the line, which is what we're massively lacking.

Kasiano is the impact prop of the three and would be my preference (provided he puts a bit of size back on).

Yes agree, with the young lads coming through now we
need a high profile front rower I think - someone who can shake a game up and lift others. We really need someone with whack in defence as well.

Kasiano is the best player of the 3 all things being equal, but id be very happy with seumanufagi also

His move to cronulla hasnt gone as well as he probably hoped so far but he's a good, go forward prop. In his last 3 seasons for wests before his move last season he played over 60 nrl games so his injury records good, he averaged more than 9 meters a carry over them 3 seasons which is good going. Only 27 and nearly 18 stone....lots to like imo.

Edit..jinxd him, just read he went off injured in there trial the other day and waiting for scan results saying theyr hoping its not medial ligament!!

Big reports of the Storm being at least 600k over the cap and desperately need to offload, I really think and hope we are in for one of these.

Dude those are some serious hex skills....

I agree re. Kasiano. He is a big thing. To be honest, I'd be happy with someone even just for a couple of years, because I think we have some talent coming through. Even Oledzski will be a different player when he's a couple of years older, he's still only 20.

Yeah people forget just how young he us, could be a full international (England GB qualifies) at 22-23 and at prop in the modern game thats some going.

Exactly. I've watched Oledzski and Holroyd against the Aussie Schoolboys, and both held their own against their NRL-signed counterparts at prop. If both lads stay OK with injuries and work hard enough, the pathway to full England/GB appearances is open.
Both will hopefully be the Rhinos bookends in the future, but someone like a Kasiano at the club now would just help bridge that gap, and give us the "Garbutt replacement".
I hope the club can find someone suitable for this season anyway, because it would really accelerate our rebuild so that we could expect to be right up there again in 2020.

Furner has distanced the Rhinos from a move for any of the players being offered around by Melbourne: Sam Kasiano in particular is one Furner said was “false” re: rumours of Leeds making a move for him. From Aaron Bower on Twitter.