Parramatta are poised to poach controversial Roosters hard man Spencer Leniu for next season.
The 25-year-old former NSW Origin and Samoan Test prop has a year to run on his deal with the Roosters, but the two clubs are set to come to an agreement whereby Leniu changes camps over the summer.
A three-time premiership winner at Penrith, Leniu hasn’t quite managed to reproduce his Panthers form in his three seasons at the Roosters.
This season, he has played just 10 games, six of which he has started on the bench. He hasn’t scored a try and has averaged just 75 run metres a game, well down on the 93 he was able to produce weekly in his final season at the Panthers in 2023.
The Eels are desperate for more firepower up front and see Leniu as a potential leader of their forward pack.
Leniu will become the fourth big-name Roosters representative star to leave the club for next season, joining Angus Crichton (rugby union), Mark Nawaqanitawase (rugby union) and Connor Watson (Dragons).
The club has signed just one player to date for 2027 - goal kicking Manly centre Reuben Garrick.
Replies
Now we talking.
Xerri, Burton and a metre eating winger please.
Sua and Spencer immediately change our pack. Sprinkled in with Tuivati, Brown, Kautoga, Paulo etc plus some young kids to come through. Its looking pretty decent.
I love to nab Burton and a left centre.
Agreed they both bring that edge we've been missing since Nathan Brown was that what seems an eternity ago.Just got to get the deal done.
Is this for 12 months or 3 years??
Only thing is, there was talk earlier that he wanted to get to PNG and was gonna do, like Watson did, and find a place for the year before heading to PNG.
If it's one year? Not so great, better than nothing. 3 years? Great deal.
Overall he adds punch that we are lacking. We have Tuivaiti who is more size and collapsing the ruck style. We need that off the back fence, mad as a cut snake type.
It seems Roosters have toned him down a little, Ryles hopefully lets him rip and tear. Only 27 next year so hitting his prime and maturity as a player.
Agree, we need an agressive enforcor with the young pack we have coming through, and Spencer fits that mould. It looks like we get longer minutes with Tui and Brown having bigger engines, but they aren't quite that impact player that Spencer could be.
It's saying 2027 and beyond
If the case then good.
I hope we don't get Leniu. I have watched all of the chooks games this year. Apart from one off the back fence run, the guy is a liability. He is not the metre eater / work horse we need. People talk about the need for an enforcer, and I get that, BUT he is more a liability than an enforcer.
Picking up a $800K player like Leniu... is a big sign this club is getting desperate IMO. Chooks will be laughing.
not if they are paying half
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