Off the Record: Rugby League Rumours and Gossip #90

There has been a lot of speculation surrounding transfers in the Betfred Super League in the last week.

PETTYBOURNE COULD STILL MOVE TO WIDNES

Widnes Vikings are set to be back in the market for Gold Coast Titans forward Eddy Pettybourne, with the prop understood to be open to a move to Super League.

The former Wigan Warriors front-rower was linked with a move to Widnes a couple of weeks ago but the transfer was believed to be off due to Pettybourne not playing enough NRL games for the Titans and therefore, not meeting the criteria for the switch.

However, appearances in the World Cup for USA also count and he will now meet the criteria and the 29-year-old is heavily wanted by the Vikings. 

WALMSLEY ATTRACTING INTEREST FROM NRL

St Helens star Alex Walmsley is wanted by NRL sides Newcastle Knights, Parramatta Eels, Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra for the 2018 season.

The 27-year-old was playing amateur rugby for Dewsbury Celtic just five years ago but now finds himself as one of the best props in Super League as well as being included in the England squad for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

According to reports, the Dragons are the favourites to sign Walmsley at the moment, due to the fact that fellow Englishmen Gareth Widdop and James Graham are also at the club.

HULL KR EYE TAGATAESE AND CLARK

Hull Kingston Rovers head coach Tim Sheens is understood to want to bring NRL duo Sam Tagataese and Jason Clark to the club for next season and beyond.

Tagataese, 30, has been a mainstay in the NRL since 2007 and has played for Cronulla Sharks for the last six years, making over 100 appearances for the club and the front-rower is currently at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup with Samoa.

Clark, 28, has been at South Sydney Rabbitohs for all of his professional career after making his NRL debut in 2009. The utility-forward has gone on to play 148 games for the club and it is believed that ex-Kangaroos boss Sheens is eager to bring the pair to the KCOM Craven Park for 2018.

SALFORD TARGET LITTLEJOHN

Wests Tigers half-back Jack Littlejohn is attracting a lot of keen interest from Salford Red Devils.

The Red Devils are desperate to bring in a new half-back, with Michael Dobson and Todd Carney both departing the AJ Bell Stadium at the end of the 2017 campaign.

Littejohn, 25, can play in the halves or at hooker and he has been told that he is surplus to requirements at the Tigers for 2018 by coach Ivan Cleary so is now a free agent and it is understood that Ian Watson wants to bring him to the club for next term.   

WARRINGTON STILL INTERESTED IN CHARNLEY

Josh Charnley’s move back to Rugby League looking set to go ahead and Warrington Wolves remain the front-runners to sign the Sale Sharks winger.

It has been reported that the 26-year-old prefers League rather than Union and would fancy coming back to the 13-a-side code ahead of the 2018 campaign.

The Wolves aren’t the only Rugby League team interested in signing Charnley, who scored 149 tries in 151 games for Wigan Warriors between 2010 and 2016, with a number of other top-flight clubs monitoring the situation of the England Rugby League international.

FRANCK SET TO JOIN HULL KR

Hull Kingston Rovers are keen on signing Catalans Dragons Under-19s ace Thibault Franck for their first season back in the Betfred Super League.

Franck is one of the most promising French players at the moment and it is understood that the Robins are currently in talks with the Dragons and the half-back’s representatives.

The 18-year-old would be able to play the 2018 season for the City of Hull Academy Under-19s side and it is thought that the move would be more of a long-term option rather than Franck going straight into Tim Sheens’ starting side.

What do you think of these possible transfers? Let us know in the comments below.