Will players join or leave Leeds Rhinos before transfer deadline? Here's coach Rohan Smith's response

The transfer deadline for 2022 is 5pm on Friday, July 22.

Two players whose contract was due to end this autumn - second-rower Alex Mellor and centre Jack Broadbent - left the club last month.

Mellor signed for Saturday’s opponents Castleford Tigers until the end of 2024 and Broadbent joined Featherstone Rovers on loan for the rest of this season ahead of an anticipated move to Castleford next year.

Rhinos this week loaned full-back Jack Walker to Hull for the remainder of 2022.

He is under contract for next year and due to return to Rhinos, but the moves prompted speculation space is being created in Leeds' squad for a late-season addition.

Speaking at his weekly press conference today, Smith insisted: "We'll always be looking to retain and recruit.”

He said: “Squad roster management is an ongoing process all the time so we'll be continuing that process day-to-day and working out what's best going forward.”

Of whether anybody else could leave before the end of this campaign, Smith said: "It’s the same sort of answer, if there's opportunity for players to secure their future elsewhere and that benefits us as far as roster management [is concerned], all things will be considered.”

With those three players unavailable and five currently suspended, Smith stressed: “We're light on numbers at the minute so it's certainly not our intention to lose anyone short-term, but it's a case-by-case situation and that’s how we will be dealing with it.”