Leeds Rhinos news: here's when Jack Bird could make his debut as boss says deal 'close'
Australian Jack Bird is on the verge of becoming a Leeds Rhinos player.
The 30-year-old has not yet signed a contract, but a deal to bring him to AMT Headingley is “close” and he has been pencilled in to potentially make his debut in Betfred Super League round four, at home to Castleford Tigers, on Sunday, March 8. Rhinos have a vacancy in their 2026 squad after rookie centre Max Simpson sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury in Cameron Smith’s testimonial game last month which will rule him out of the entire campaign.
As well as being vastly experienced in the southern hemisphere NRL, Bird is a Jack of all trades with an ability to play across the backline or in the pack. “We are close to pretty much having that sorted,” coach Brad Arthur said of Rhinos’ Bird hunt.
“He will probably be here in a couple of weeks once they can get the visa sorted. Hopefully he will be playing in a Leeds jersey in the next month. The contract isn’t signed, but it’s pretty close.”
Born in Wollongong, Bird is a former Junior Kangaroo and featured five times for New South Wales from 2016-17 in Australia’s State of Origin. At club level, he has 173 NRL games to his name, for Cronulla Sharks, Brisbane Broncos, St George-Illawarra Dragons and Wests Tigers. He featured 17 times with Wests last year, but has been released from the final season of his contract.
He will be Rhinos’ fourth signing for 2026 - after fellow Aussies Ethan O’Neill and Danny Levi and New Zealand-born Jeremiah Mata’utia. Arthur admitted players of Bird’s experience and quality don’t become available very often, particularly on the eve of a new season.
“He is a good football player,” Arthur - whose side visit Widnes Vikings in the Betfred Challenge Cup on Saturday - said. “Unfortunately for Max he got his injury, but it gave us a bit of room - not much - in the [salary] cap. I like Jack’s attitude, he’s not coming for money because we don’t have much space.
“He is coming because he wants to be part of the club and challenge himself. I really like his attitude around it and he can play anywhere - centre, back-row, in the halves, 13, anywhere in the team.”