BLAKE AUSTIN is no longer a Leeds Rhinos player with the halfback enjoying his first training sessions with the Castleford Tigers over the past week.
Austin left Headingley on the eve of the transfer market deadline to take up a deal with the Tigers until the end of the 2023 season.
However, beyond that, the playmaker’s future is uncertain. But, where are some clubs Austin could hang his hat in 2024?
Castleford Tigers
Of course, the most obvious choice is the current club that Austin now plays for. Castleford have brought in the 32-year-old until the end of the season and it remains to be seen whether the Tigers will hold conversations with Austin about extending that deal if he helps the West Yorkshire outfit stay in Super League. The quota space at The Jungle could be a problem though with the Tigers already having seven signed up for 2024.
Featherstone Rovers
Austin was linked with Featherstone Rovers before the move to Castleford materialised, but who’s not to say that it would not be a move rekindled if Rovers make it to Super League? Featherstone would perhaps need to move on some of their halves to fit Austin in given the plethora of playmakers within the squad as things stand. However, with experience in both the NRL and Super League in abundance, Austin would definitely go some way to helping Rovers in what would be their first season in the top flight in the summer era.
NRL
It remains to be seen whether Austin would be able to get an NRL gig considering his age, but Catalans Dragons star Mitchell Pearce as well as former Leeds halfback partner Aidan Sezer have both been linked with moves back home so it wouldn’t be out of the question. The likes of Wests Tigers desperately need halfbacks especially with the departure of Luke Brooks to Manly and Austin would fit the bill as a direct, running half.
