Leeds Rhinos announced the appointment of Brad Arthur last week with the former Parramatta Eels boss taking charge until the end of the season. Arthur was present at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Thursday night after stepping off the plane earlier that day and he’ll be determined to help Leeds build some momentum over the final 10 games of the Super League season.
Arthur’s future with the Leeds Rhinos is still up in the air, and the Australian may also be consulted over 2025 recruiting. Since Ryan Hall’s signing has already been confirmed, the Rhinos shouldn’t have too much on their plates. But, since Rhyse Martin and David Fusitu’a’s contracts are about to expire, there may be a few foreign quota spots available during the off-season.
In light of that, the following three NRL free agents would be ideal fit for the Leeds Rhinos in the upcoming campaign.
It’s safe to argue that after fighting for playing time at the North Queensland Cowboys and New Zealand Warriors before moving to the west of Sydney, Asi has played some of his best rugby under Arthur at Parramatta. This season, Asi has made seven appearances for the Eels, scoring seven goals, one try, and a drop goal while playing a semi-regular role.
Should Martin depart, his goal-kicking skills could compensate for his loss, and his versatility—playing both outside back and in the halves—could make him a valuable asset.
At the age of 23, it’s reasonable to argue that he still has his finest years ahead of him as an international player for Samoa. As was already mentioned, Arthur hasn’t committed to the upcoming season, but if he does, that might play a significant role for Asi.
After leaving St George last year, Burns signed a one-year deal with Cronulla. However, so far the second-rower has made just two appearances for the club off the bench. Burns came through the ranks at Penrith Panthers, where he made 12 appearances and scored four tries before moving on to join the Dragons in 2021, where he spent three years and featured 29 times. With the future of Martin still hanging in the balance, Burns at 6’3” and 104kg, might be considered to be a suitable replacement. Most of his game time has come in the NSW Cup this season, with the 25-year-old getting over the line six times in 14 appearances for Newtown Jets.
Leeds aren’t in dire need of a new lock because Cameron Smith is locked into the role, but Peachey would give the Rhinos options going into next season. The 32-year-old can play in the halves or at centre, which may come in handy. Peachey has been linked with Super League moves in the past and as he approaches the end of his deal with Penrith, he could be one player available to those clubs pushing to land overseas recruits.
