Quote: HamsterChops "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.'"
Why leave it until the last possible week though? The decision not to retain him was likely made many moons ago and anyone with even the slightest bit of foresight would have broken the news to Jordan as soon as the two clubs were drawn together in the cup just to get it out of the way.