World Champions Leeds Rhinos have today announced that New Zealand international Ali Lauitiiti has agreed a new two year contract with the club. Lauitiiti, who joined the Rhinos during the 2004 season, was due to be out of contract at the end of the current season however he will now remain at Headingley Carnegie until at least the end of the 2010 engage Super League season. The giant second rower earned the tagline as the Michael Jordan of Rugby League due to his fantastic ball handling skills. He returned to action two weeks ago following a knee injury and he follows team mates Rob Burrow, Danny McGuire and Brent Webb in agreeing a new long term deal with the club. Commenting on the announcement the 28-year-old said, "I could not have imagined when I arrived here four years ago that things would have gone so well for me. My wife and I have really settled into life in Leeds and the Rhinos is a fantastic club. My team mates are my best mates and it is great to be playing and training alongside them every day. "We have got a good, young group of players here now and I think we are going to have even more success in the future. I hope I can play my part in that over the next two years," added Lauitiiti. Head Coach Brian McClennan has coached Lauitiiti in the New Zealand national side as well as at Leeds and he knows what a quality addition he is to the Champions. He commented, "We are all very, very happy to have Ali with us for another two years. I think everyone at Headingley Carnegie has enjoyed seeing Ali in full flight. Some of the things that Ali does on the field, he is probably one of the handful of players who can do that in the game of rugby league and the world of rugby league. "He has worked hard in recent weeks to get himself back to full fitness and he has lost a bit of excess weight, whcih makes him even more dangerous. He has been impressive in training and we are beginning to see that in games now. Hopefully he can continue that progress on Friday night when we take on a tough Huddersfield outfit."