England Rugby League squad member Harry Newman has signed a new three-year deal with Leeds Rhinos that will keep him at the Betfred Super League club until the end of the 2024 season.
Newman joined Leeds from Huddersfield-based community club Newsome Panthers at 14 and has become a mainstay in the first team squad since debuting back in 2017.
The centre returned to action last season after suffering a double leg fracture in 2020, and was part of Shaun Wane’s England squad for the post-season international.
On the decision, Newman said: “It’s been a stressful few weeks trying to get it all sorted but I am absolutely delighted to secure my future for the next three years. I finally know what I’m going to do, and I feel really settled here and ready to kick on.
“My injury did make me think long and hard about what was the best next move for me. It made me realise that this a short career and it can be over so quickly, so I took my time with my decision.
“I had this year left anyway and I did explore options in the NRL and also Rugby Union as well, but I am delighted to be staying here. I’ve been here since I was 14 so to secure these next three years has really made me happy.
“The World Cup is something I’ve had in mind for the last few years and been building towards it. Obviously last year the tournament got postponed which was probably good for me as I didn’t quite get to where I wanted to be physically having come back from such a big injury.
“But it is a really exciting year for the sport and an exciting year for the club. We have a lot of young players who will be pushing to make that squad and, for me, I know the things I need to improve on to get myself physically ready to compete in Super League first.”
Leeds Rhinos Head Coach Richard Agar added: “Harry is an exceptional talent. He is highly motivated and highly ambitious. Harry sets the bar very high for himself and we feel he has the potential to scale the summits of our sport.
“It’s fair to say he’s been one of the most sought-after players in both codes of world Rugby so to secure him on a long-term deal is great news for the Rhinos and Harry.
“There is still lots of development in him. His rise has been rapid but we all believe there is still huge potential for Harry to grow.”
