IT’S hardly been the best year for Oliver Gildart in the NRL.
After moving to the Wests Tigers ahead of the 2022 NRL season following a number of successful years with the Wigan Warriors in Super League, it all came to a head after eight games for his new club.
Gildart suffered an injury and never regained his place back in the Wests’ team as Michael Maguire chose to leave the centre out.
That left the 26-year-old searching for a new club mid-season and it almost turned out to be a match made in heaven with the Leeds Rhinos.
That deal was never forthcoming, however, and Gildart instead signed a loan deal until the end of the season with Sydney Roosters.
There he made two appearances, but was released from his final year of his contract yesterday with the Dolphins reportedly sniffing around Gildart.
However, could a Super League club beat them to the punch? There are currently two Super League teams that could bring him in as things stand – perhaps.
They are Leeds Rhinos, Warrington Wolves and Leigh Leopards. All three have potential cap space with Leeds having lost both Jack Walker and Zak Hardaker within a week of each other.
Meanwhile, Warrington are in need of a centre following the departures of Toby King and Jake Wardle (who was on loan towards the back end of 2022) as well as the horrendous ACL injury to Connor Wrench.
And Leigh of course with owner Derek Beaumont declaring on Twitter that head of rugby Chris Chester is still looking for new blood, though a middle forward was the target which may well rule the newly rebranded Leopards out.
Both Leeds and Warrington have a great pull and with a promise of first-team rugby, it could lure Gildart back to England, if, of course, a deal with the Dolphins has not already been signed.
