'Was an option': Huddersfield Giants boss confirms link to Leeds Rhinos' Matt Frawley
Huddersfield Giants have shown an interest in Leeds Rhinos scrum-half Matt Frawley, their coach Luke Robinson has confirmed.
Leeds have been linked with former Man of Steel Jackson Hastings - who is out of favour at NRL club Newcastle Knights - and that speculation intensified when Frawley was dropped for last week’s 20-14 home loss to Hull KR. Rhinos’ foreign quota is full and they will need to let players go if they bring in anyone from overseas.
With Frawley out of contract at the end of this season and likely to move on, Rhinos may be willing to let the Australian go in mid-season and, as reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Giants have emerged as a possible destination. Leeds today signed Huddersfield winger Elliot Wallis on a one-month loan and Robinson was asked at his weekly preview press conference if Frawley could be heading the other way.
“We are always in talks,” the Giants coach confirmed. “It’s no secret that for the last however many weeks we’ve had makeshift halves. I think we played with three or four full-backs only a few weeks ago, so I don't think it would be any surprise to anybody we are in the open market and asking about any half that’s available. He was somebody who came up that could potentially be.
“He seems to have found himself down the pecking order a little bit at Leeds. There was an option, but at this moment in time it’s not something that’s come to fruition - nor has anybody else we spoke to.”
Of why no deal has been done, Robinson added: “When you are looking for people on loan or to sign and they are already at a club, it’s a little bit of too-ing and fro-ing, deciding what works best for both parties. Everybody wants a little bit of what works best for them and it has been the same with every player we’ve chased - it has always been whether we can make it work for us as well as the parent club.
“On that note as well, we’ve got Adam Clune coming back in. He is our director and chief general and him coming into the side alleviates a little bit of pressure. We could still do with some pressure relieving until Tui [Lolohea] is back fit and raring to go and Niall Evalds. They add a wealth of experience to our spine. We are always looking, but at the moment, it has not come to fruition.”
Frawley has been named in Rhinos’ initial 21-man squad for Saturday’s clash with St Helens at Magic Weekend in Newcastle.