Leeds Rhinos boss Rohan Smith confirms Rhyse Martin contract offer

The Papua New Guinea captain is out of contract at the end of this season and has been linked with rival clubs in Australia and Betfred Super League, including Leigh Leopards. The 31-year-old joined Leeds from Canterbury Bulldogs midway through the 2019 season and is just four goals short of a career half-century, having kicked 394 for Leeds.

Martin has said he has “no idea” where he will be playing next year, but Smith stressed Rhinos want it to be with them. “We’d like Rhyse to stay and Rhyse has been made an offer,” the coach said during his weekly preview press conference today (Friday).

“That’s something - along with a few other players - Ian [Blease, Rhinos’ new sporting director] will get his head around when he’s in the building. We’ll discuss that and take a course of action as it goes, but we want Rhyse to stay.”

Blease begins work on Monday, a week after being unveiled at an AMT Headingley press conference. Speaking about the former Salford Red Devils director of rugby and operation for the first time, Smith insisted he is “fully supportive of the appointment”.

He said:”I’ve come across Ian; in my time as a very young coach I was on the other side of some teams Ian was involved in and then when Ian was a player agent while I was at Bradford we had some conversations and spent a bit of time together.

“We don’t know each other well, but there’s a respect there and [I am] looking forward to working together. We had an impromptu chat on Monday and we’ll look to get the ball rolling on Monday when he kicks off officially.”