Ricky is ready to remain as a Giant next year
RICKY Leutele has dropped the clearest hint yet that he will remain with Huddersfield Giants in 2023, saying his future is ‘very close’ to being finalised.
The centre’s form has been outstanding, helping the club reach the Challenge Cup final and push for a top-four spot in Super League too.
He caught the eye again last week as the Claret and Gold claimed victory over Wigan. That led to Giants coach Ian Watson revealing the Samoan had been offered a new deal to keep him at the John Smith’s Stadium next year.
And the 32-year-old admitted to the Examiner that talks have progressed to an extent where a deal is nearly finalised.
“I haven’t spoken to my manager for a couple of weeks but I’m sure it’s all very close to being sorted and getting done,” Leutele said.
“It’s going great here. It’s a great group and
I’m enjoying my rugby again. It’s been a great move for me and one
I’m glad I made because the club has been fantastic ever since the moment I arrived.”
Leutele’s form has been one of the standouts for a Giants squad that are competing for silverware on more than one front as the season approaches its midway stage.
Having defeated fellow cup finalists Wigan last weekend, they host Toulouse on Friday hoping to solidify their place in the upper echelons of Super League before turning their full focus to their trip to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on
May 28.
“It was important to get the two points against Wigan because even though we’ve got the final coming, we want to keep performing in Super League and keep climbing the ladder,” Leutele said.
“It’s crucial for us to get in those play-offs and put a challenge together.
“This is my first experience of the cup so it’s all a bit weird, playing for something in mid-season for the first time. But I’m loving my time here at the club and I’m embracing every single moment of this journey.
“It’s a whole different experience, playing a final in May, but it’s very special because I understand how important a moment this is for the club.”
Maurice Lindsay, the architect of Wigan’s golden era and also a former chief executive of the Rugby Football League, has died at the age of 81.
Under Lindsay’s chairmanship, Wigan won eight league titles and eight consecutive Challenge Cups.