Reports from Australia emerged over the weekend that Leeds Rhinos star Harry Newman was set for a move to the NRL, in what would be a huge move for both Super League and Newman himself.

The Rhinos centre, who made his debut in 2017, has been a mainstay in the side for over half a decade, and is one of the most exciting talents to come out of the Leeds system in the past 10 years.

Making 129 appearances in Blue and Amber so far, the England international is set to leave the club at the end of the 2026 season, moving to the newly formed Perth Bears ahead of their inaugural season in the NRL in 2027.

But, what does his departure mean for Leeds, both in the short-term and the long-term? We have assessed the biggest talking points to come out of the move, should Newman finally get his NRL opportunity.

Leeds Rhinos biggest talking points amid potential Harry Newman exit

Time for youngsters to step up:

The first port of call for Leeds, should he leave, is who they get to replace him.

As mentioned, Newman has been a regular in the starting Rhinos line-up for a while, and his exit would not only leave a huge hole in terms of talent, but in experience too.

Leeds have plenty of options in the youth system that could emerge to be his successor, or they may want to look on the market and bring someone in with equal quality.

Currently, the two Rhinos players next in line would be Max Simpson and Ned McCormack, with both players featuring in the centres across the season. Next season will be huge for each player, as they both look to forge their way into the first team.

The pair have had their injury problems in the past, Simpson in particular, but the club think highly of both players, and now is their chance to reward that faith put in them by stepping up and becoming worthy of the starting jersey.

A final chance for silverware:

The 25-year-old will have been a member of the Rhinos first team for a decade at the end of next season, and he will want to make sure he finishes on a high. The Rhinos came close a semi-final appearance this season, and looked like they could be in with a chance at making Old Trafford, if not for a last-gasp wonder try by St Helens’ Shane Wright.

He will be hoping to avenge that defeat next year, and finally earn a piece of silverware after missing out in the club’s Challenge Cup win in 2020 through injury.

With a World Cup at the end of next season too, Newman has plenty of incentive to end his Super League career on a high before he takes on the best in the world in 2027 and beyond.

Room on the cap:

One thing that would benefit Leeds from the deal, is that they will now have a lot more room to manoeuvre in the salary cap. Being one of the form centres in the league, any new deal for Newman would have likely been on big money, and with the cap staying at 2.1 million since 2020, teams with talent across the field will be feeling the pressure of keeping hold of their star men.

The cap doesn’t sound like it will be changing, either, with Nigel Wood saying recently in a interview with the BBC that the salary cap isn’t an issue, and not a reason as to why England underperformed against Australia in the Ashes series.

Leeds have recently given out contract extensions to the likes of Lachie Miller and Ash Handley, whilst there are plenty of other players off-contract at the end of 2026. The money they will save from Newman’s exit will go a long way to retaining some of their other key players, with the likes of Brodie Croft and Jake Connor coming up to the end of their deals.

The first of a few Super League players heading to Perth?

Perth need to assemble a squad of 30 players ahead of their entry into the NRL in 12 months time. They have yet to confirm any signings, but they are currently linked with the new London Broncos duo of Emarly Bitungane and Luke Smith, who will join the Bears after a year at the club.

With almost a month gone since the NRL’s free agency window opened, most other clubs have picked up the best talents, leaving Mal Meninga with fewer options that what he would have liked.

Could Newman be the first of a few Super League players to head Down Under? There is plenty of huge talents still off contract in ’27, so it is a distinct possibility that the centre isn’t the only UK-based player to exit for the NRL’s newest franchise.