Key Points
- Keenan Palasia has signed a new three-year contract extension with Leeds Rhinos.
- The deal keeps the 28-year-old Samoa international at AMT Headingley until at least the end of the 2029 Super League season.
- Leeds Rhinos officials say the extension reflects Palasia’s impact in his first season and his importance to the club’s long-term plans.
Leeds (The Leeds Times) January 10, 2026 – Leeds Rhinos have handed forward Keenan Palasia a new three-year contract extension that will keep the Samoa international at AMT Headingley until at least the end of the 2029 Betfred Super League season, in what club officials have described as a major boost ahead of the new campaign.
The 28-year-old, who joined Leeds Rhinos from the NRL last year, has committed his long-term future after an impressive first season in Super League, with the club highlighting his on-field contribution and influence within the squad as key reasons for securing an early agreement.
Why have Leeds Rhinos moved to extend Keenan Palasia’s contract now?
According to Total Rugby League, Leeds Rhinos finalised the new deal as part of a strategy to lock in core players before the start of the 2026 Betfred Super League season, ensuring stability in the forward pack and signalling confidence in Palasia’s development since arriving from Australia.
As reported by Total Rugby League staff reporters of Total Rugby League, the extension runs for three additional years and means Palasia’s contract now stretches through to the conclusion of the 2029 Super League campaign, underlining the club’s view of him as a long-term leader in the middle unit.
What have Leeds Rhinos and Keenan Palasia said about the new deal?
Reporting by club media staff for Leeds Rhinos states that Keenan Palasia was keen to resolve his contract situation before the season so he could focus fully on his performances, describing the agreement as an important step in helping the team chase silverware in the coming years.
How have club officials described Keenan Palasia’s impact at Leeds?
According to Leeds Rhinos’ official website, sporting director Ian Blease said the club were “delighted” that Palasia had committed his long-term future, noting his previous experience as a Grand Finalist with Brisbane Broncos in the NRL and suggesting his decision to stay in Leeds demonstrated how well he had settled both at the club and in Super League.
What does Keenan Palasia’s contract extension mean for Leeds Rhinos’ future plans?
Coverage by outlets including Total Rugby League and rugby league specialist sites indicates that Palasia’s new contract is part of a wider retention and recruitment drive at Leeds Rhinos, aimed at building a squad capable of sustained Super League contention over the second half of the decade.
The factual conclusion from current reporting is that locking in Keenan Palasia until 2029 provides Leeds Rhinos with continuity in a key forward position, strengthens their medium-term roster planning and offers head coach Brad Arthur a proven, committed middle forward around whom he can continue to shape the club’s pack for future seasons.
