Exactly correct. On the face it sounds crazy, but apparently it's nothing to do with Leeds' timing, it's to do with RFL deadlines. Same as the anti-tampering rule is supposed to stop clubs talking to contracted players until May of the year they expire, contract extensions have to be told to the player around the same time.

Otherwise Leeds could just not tell Lilley his contract isn't being extended, and then it stops him being able to talk to anyone else until he gets released in November. Or they let him talk to people now, he agrees to join someone else, then Leeds invoke their extra year option and scupper it.

To me the key point is that he found out from his agent . He had been recruited as a youngster, been through all the age groups and was part of the first team squad. When he started playing in that first team you could tell how proud he was to represent his hometown club .
Not to have the class / basic human decency to tell a loyal player face to face perhaps says something about the current culture at Leeds.

Yeah that is something that doesn't sit well. I saw someone say it's like getting dumped via a text message. If it's true about the agent thing, that is pretty classless by Leeds and I can't think it will have gone down all that well with any friends he has at the club either.

To be fair, the likely reason he's been told via his agent is that his agent was likely the first to know simply by doing their job and speaking to the Leeds club about a new contract as his current deal was expiring.

Perhaps but a courtesy call in person to the player would've been a classier way to operate. It would've only taken about 5-10 mins.

As it is it doesn't seem that Jordan bears any grudges, his interviews before and after were very professional. He did the talking on the pitch where it really matters.

To be fair to Leeds, they've been going through a crisis period over last season and into this one with the coaches roundabout they've been through, along with the fact that the head coach is usually instrumental in recruitment and retention decisions then it's not totally surprising that they've let things slide somewhat.