Canberra Raiders end Joey Leilua to Melbourne Storm rumour after Sandor Earl’s prank
The online NRL community was left in a spin after Melbourne winger Sandor Earl told his Instagram followers that Canberra‘s Joey Leilua was heading to the Storm.
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Melbourne Storm has given the green light to Curtis Scott’s move to the Canberra Raiders, with the powerhouse clubs poised to complete the transfer this week.
Scott, the big-bodied premiership centre was contracted through to the end of 2021 but elected to cut short his time in Melbourne to be closer to family and support networks in Sydney.
But the Raiders have been forced to deny there was more to the deal after Storm winger Sandor Earl threw a hand grenade at the Green Machine when he put it out on social media that Scott was to be part of a trade switch with their own dynamic centre, Joey Leilua.
Prankster Earl declared “our new signing” Leilua was the club’s biggest pest during a Q&A on Instagram.
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However Earl later revealed the line was simply a joke to get a reaction from the public.
A source has told the Herald Sun Leilua would not be moving to Melbourne, which was then confirmed by Canberra recruitment boss Peter Mulholland.
“It is not happening,” Mulholland told The Daily Telegraph.
“It hasn’t even been discussed.”
The Raiders have been adamant that there is room in their salary cap for both Leilua and Scott for the 2020 season.
It remains to be seen how coach Ricky Stuart will work the two specialist right side centres into his side given co-captain Jarrod Croker owns the left centre spot.
Leilua is off contract at the end of next season but has guaranteed publicly that he will be with the Raiders next year.
Just a joke lads with all the trade chats going on was too hard to resist!
— Sandor Earl (@sandorearl) November 25, 2019
Scott, 22, who has played 48 games across four seasons with Melbourne, enjoyed a breakout 2018 campaign which culminated in a premiership.
He managed only nine appearances last year, plagued by personal issues and a broken foot.
Meanwhile, Brodie Croft’s move to the Brisbane Broncos will also be finalised this week.
But Storm has secured Cameron Smith’s understudy Harry Grant on a long-term deal.
Melbourne was desperate to retain Grant, 21, who has dominated the Queensland Cup competition the past two seasons with feeder team Sunshine Coast Falcons.
The highly-talented hooker is contracted to the end of 2022 and along with established Storm star and Kiwi international Brandon Smith will eventually get to vie for Smith’s job.
While Storm is blessed for dummy halves, Scott’s departure, which follows champion Will Chambers’ decision to play rugby union in Japan, will test Melbourne’s outside backs depth.
Marion Seve, Tom Eisenhuth and Isaac Lumelume will audition for the right-side vacancy, with Papua New Guinea international Justin Olam on the left flank.
Seve looms as the frontrunner, having played 12 games last season in purple before injury allowed Olam to get a start and cement a spot in Craig Bellamy’s top squad.
Croft’s imminent defection clears a path for Ryley Jacks to get a second chance in Melbourne.
The 27 year-old former Storm playmaker, who played 13 games for Gold Coast Titans last season, is back in Melbourne trialling for a contract.