EACH year, Super League clubs try their best to recruit players that they think will improve their chances of earning a play-off spot, winning trophies or merely just staying in the top flight.
Along the way, there have been some superb recruits such as Bevan French at Wigan Warriors, Paul McShane at Castleford Tigers and Marc Sneyd at Salford Red Devils.
Some, however, don’t work out and here are five that signed ahead of the 2024 season that have done so.
Waqa Blake – St Helens
Waqa Blake was signed in a bid to shore up the St Helens backline following the retirement of Will Hopoate, but it’s fair to say that the move hasn’t worked and the former Parramatta Eels man looks to be exiting the Merseyside club after just one season. The Fijian international has played in most of Saints’ Super League fixtures – playing in all but three of their games in the league – and has registered 11 tries, but his defensive frailties have sometimes been left exposed, with Saints boss Paul Wellens playing him at both wing and centre.
Nixon Putt – Castleford Tigers
There were big raps surrounding Nixon Putt when Castleford Tigers announced his signature given his prominence in the Papua New Guinea national side. The 28-year-old has made just seven appearances for the West Yorkshire club – and a number of those have been when the Tigers have been down to the bare bones in terms of personnel. With reckless offloads sometimes permeating Putt’s game and a nonsense yellow card in the away loss to Hull KR, it has been a frustrating year for the former Central Queensland Capras forward.
Jayden Nikorima – Catalans Dragons
Ok, Jayden Nikorima is doing seriously well with his new club Salford Red Devils, but it definitely didn’t run smoothly for the halfback at the club which signed him for 2024 – Catalans Dragons. Nikorima registered 12 appearances for the Dragons during his ill-fated spell, but the diminutive figure was sacked last month for failing to turn up to training after going to a concert with Siosiua Taukeiaho and Damel Diakhate who were also dismissed. There is no denying Nikorima’s talent, but he was unable to showcase that at the Stade Gilbert Brutus.
Franklin Pele/Jayden Okunbor/Fa’amanu Brown – Hull FC
We have cheated a bit here by including Franklin Pele, Jayden Okunbor and Fa’amanu Brown all under one heading, but it was more Hull FC’s recruitment policy that saw the three men sign. Brown went home early on in the season after being played out of position whilst Pele and Okunbor have now signed permanent deals with the Bradford Bulls. It’s fair to say that the Black and Whites got all three recruits very badly wrong – something which the club has paid for throughout the year with terrible performances on the field.
Andy Ackers – Leeds Rhinos
On the face of it, Andy Ackers’ move from Salford Red Devils to the Leeds Rhinos for 2024 should have been one of the signings of the year after a number of excellent performances at Salford. However, Ackers struggled in an out-of-sorts Leeds side at the beginning of the season before copping a hefty head knock which has seen him in and out of the team since. The main reason as to why Ackers is on this list is the massive price fee that the Rhinos paid the Red Devils for his services alongside Brodie Croft.
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