Leeds Rhinos close to announcing first new signing but another senior squad man set to leave
Leeds Rhinos are close to announcing their first signing for 2026, but another member of this year’s squad is on the point of leaving the club.
The Yorkshire Evening Post understands Rhinos have completed a deal for former New Zealand and Samoa Test hooker Danny Levi, while half-back Jack Sinfield is heading for Wakefield Trinity. So far, confirmed movement has all been one way with a number of players having left Rhinos and no new signings announced.
However, Leeds have been chasing Levi, as previously reported by All Out Rugby League, and an agreement is now believed to have been reached. Levi, who has been linked with Leeds several times in the past, played in the NRL for Newcastle Knights, Manly Sea Eagles and Brisbane Broncos before spending the 2022 season with Huddersfield Giants.
He joined Canberra Raiders in 2023, but featured only twice for them this year, taking his career total of NRL games to 140. The 29-year-old will replace Andy Ackers who joined Bradford Bulls last week after being released from the final year of his Rhinos contract. Ackers’ exit left Jarrod O’Connor as the only experienced hooker in Rhinos’ squad.
Sinfield, who filled in at number nine on occasions this year, is set to become the seventh departure from Rhinos’ 2025 first team squad. Scrum-half Matt Frawley has retired and Rhinos have released both Ackers and second-rower James Bentley.
Prop Sam Lisone has moved to Hull FC on a two-year deal, second-row Morgan Gannon is joining New Zealand Warriors and outside-back Ethan Clark-Wood returned to Australia at the end of his contract.
Sinfield is under contract at Leeds until the end of next year, but has been given permission to speak to other clubs. A deal is understood to have been done with Wakefield for 2027, but he is set to join them next year, if an agreement can be reached with Leeds.
Sinfield, 21, made his Rhinos debut in 2022 and has featured 29 times in the first team, scoring six tries, two goals and a drop goal. Fourteen of those appearances were this year, but he has had only limited game time with Brodie Croft and Man of Steel Jake Connor ahead of him for the half-back roles. Leeds also have high hopes for two teenage pivots, Fergus McCormack and George Brown, who have trained with the full-time squad and are both contracted until the end of 2027.
Former Rhinos head of youth John Bastian, who recently joined Wakefield in a similar role, is an admirer of Sinfield and Trinity hope he will be a long-term successor to scrum-half Mason Lino, whose contract expires at the end of next season.