Rugby League Gossip Column: September 15

Ray Mour
rugby league gossip

All the murmurings from the rugby league world this week…

St Helens ring their Bell

St Helens have completed the signing of Scotland international James Bell from Leigh for 2022. The 27-year-old loose forward has caught the eye whilst playing for the Centurions in Super League this season and is set for a move to the reigning champions. (Manchester Evening News)

McLelland update

Scotland international Callum McLelland’s future looks to be away from Leeds, with coach Richard Agar admitting he has not accepted a new contract he has been offered. Agar said: “We’ve offered Callum a contract but he’s not come back to us on that yet. That’s going back a number of weeks now.” (Leeds Live)

Amor Future

St Helens prop Kyle Amor is off-contract at the end of the season but hopes to remain at the club in 2022. He told League Express: “I’d love to stay on and do another year, but I’ll leave that one with the powers that be.” (League Express)

NRL players on the market

NRL clubs are starting to confirm the players who will be moving on when the season comes to an end. A total of 16 players have departed Gold Coast titans and St George Illawarra Dragons.

Gold Coast have released Ash Taylor, Tyrone Peachey, Mitch Rein and Jonus Pearson as well as Jai Whitbread and Sam Stone, both of whom are currently at Leigh. Corey Norman and Gerard Beale have departed the Dragons. Could we see any of these in Super League next season?

Leigh job

There have been a few rumours knocking around social media that Lee Briers will be the new Leigh head coach but he tweeted earlier this month confirming that he will not be the new boss of the Centurions.

Departing Castleford players

Castleford will wave goodbye to Grant Millington (retiring), Oliver Holmes (Warrington), Peter Mata’utia (Warrington), Jesse Sene-Lefao, Alex Foster and Lewis Bienek when they play their final home game of the season at Wheldon Road on Thursday.

Sene-Lefao has been linked with a move to Salford for next season, while the destinations of Foster and Bienek are not yet known.