Leeds Rhinos signed New South Wales State of Origin forward Matt Prior from NRL side Cronulla Sharks on a two-year contract ahead of the 2020 season.
The 32-year-old prop has played over 250 games in the NRL and played for New South Wales in 2018. A NRL Grand Final winner in 2016 with the Sharks, Prior was an ever-present for the Sharks last season, starting all but one game. He will team up with his former Cronulla team mate Ava Seumanufagai at the Rhinos after the front rower moved to Emerald Headingley last summer and will join the club subject to completing a medical.
The club have also confirmed that Australian international Trent Merrin has been allowed to leave the club on compassionate grounds to return home to Australia.
Originally from Wollongong, Prior played his junior rugby at Thirroul Butchers before signing for his home town club of St George Illawarra Steelers in 2006. He made his NRL debut against North Queensland Cowboys two years later and won his first NRL Premiership with the Dragons under Wayne Bennett in 2010, coming on off the bench in the Grand Final win over Sydney Roosters. The following year, he started at loose forward as the Dragons defeated Wigan Warriors at the DW Stadium in the World Club Challenge.
He moved to Cronulla Sharks in 2014 and two years later started in the Grand Final win over Melbourne Storm. A consistent performer for the Sharks, he has made over 2,000 metres in each of the last four seasons, averaging at 95 metres per game during his time at the Sharks, and had a tackle success rate last season of over 90%.
