LEEDS RHINOS head coach Rohan Smith has had his say on what he deems an “interesting” rugby league transfer system.
Whilst other sports such as football have transfer windows, rugby league moves can be made and confirmed any time after May 1 – when player negotiations can begin.
That has seen a flurry of transfer activity in recent weeks and months, with Leeds at the heart of that.
The Rhinos have lost Sam Walters to Wigan Warriors and reportedly Liam Tindall to Hull FC, whilst Smith has brought in Mickael Goudemand from Catalans Dragons.
It’s a fine balancing act between recruiting for the years ahead and focusing on the here and now and though Smith concedes that is normal behaviour in the sport, it can be difficult.
“It’s a normal thing in rugby league, it’s what the sport has created for itself. There is the lack of a genuine transfer window so players can move freely when they want, especially in the NRL,” Smith said.
“Things open up on May 1 in Super League and it doesn’t close. It is an interesting system and concept but it isn’t one I would endorse by design.
“It can be a distraction for some people sometime. Not knowing where your future lies is not an easy thing to handle.
“It is a professional sport and we all have to do our job as best as we can, performances take care of themselves. You can’t always keep or get every player you want but you have to have an eye for the future too.
“If you make short-term decisions all the time you will end up in a pickle at some point in the future.
“There are a lot of sports that do things a lot differently, rugby league is one of the few where you can be contracted somewhere else but play for a different club. But that is out of my area of influence. We will crack on and do the best we can with it.”
In recent days, halfback partners Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer have both been linked with moves away from Headingley, but, in response to the latter, Smith simply replied: “Not that I am aware of”.
Of course, Leeds today announced the signing of Mickael Goudemand on a two-year deal from Catalans Dragons – and Smith is a big fan.
“It was a reasonably quick process to get him across the line. I watched him a bunch last yea when I was studying the game when I first arrived.
“He was on the radar that would suit our group, he is very physical, tough and experienced but with low mileage for his age. He has his best years ahead of him, he can do a job on the edge as well as in the middle.”
