Kruise Leeming insists he has not signed anywhere ahead of the 2024 season after shedding light on his Leeds Rhinos exit. The hooker, who made his NRL debut last week, is currently contracted to Gold Coast Titans for the remainder of the season.
However, it means he is free to negotiate deals in both Super League and the NRL for the 2024 season, with several clubs said to be interested. That said, Leeming insists he has made a calculated risk in putting off a decision on his long-term future, instead focusing on what he can do during his 'trial' with the Titans.
"I've tried to not look at anything long-term," he said on the 5 Live Rugby League podcast. "I'm not signed at a club for next year for that reason. I've just thought, let me dive in two feet to coming over here, living on my own, getting used to Australia, playing good rugby, and that's all I'm focused on.
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"If I had too many distant focuses on this time if I start worrying about what I do the year after it might take my eye off the ball of what's going on. That's the reason why I haven't signed for a club next year because I didn't want to be over here thinking I've signed for a Super League club, I want to test myself and take a calculated risk about it to make me train super hard.
"I'm almost on a six-month trial here. I'm training as hard as I can and that's why I kept myself so fit."
In a wide-ranging interview, Leeming also insisted once again that his departure from Headingley was the favoured option for all involved.
"It suited both parties," he said. "It suited me, it suited Leeds and the coach. We made it happen between us all. To my understanding, everyone was happy about it. It was an opportunity we couldn't turn down.
"There wasn't a fallout. Like I said, it just seemed to suit the coach. It seemed to suit the club at this time. For me, to make a decision on it, it was an opportunity to do something I've always wanted to do. I felt like at Huddersfield, before I went to Leeds, there's a sell-by date on things at times in every walk of life, any job, it becomes the same thing.
"To grow and improve myself as a player and challenge myself, I need different challenges. This challenge to move away from my family, to be on a different side of the world, challenge myself against the best players in the world, it's taken me out of my comfort zone.
"I know however the experience goes, if it goes really well and I stay a number of years or if I come back, I know it is going to improve me as a player. Every time I've challenged myself I've never regretted that."
House of League returns with Warrington Wolves CEO Karl Fitzpatrick, who discusses the remarkable resurgence of the Wire, TV deals and recruitment insights. You can listen on Spotify, Amazon or Apple, or alternatively by using the link below.
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