Phil Clarke acknowledges that Zak Hardaker has had his issues in the past, but warns there are two sides to every story...
Wow, what a bombshell! I never thought that I would see the day when Leeds allow one of their best players to leave mid-season.
OK, I know he has not been as impressive this season as he was in the last, but as I mentioned earlier this week Leeds need to buy some players, not sell them, if they want to get out of their current predicament.
The Rhinos reportedly paid a transfer fee in the region of £60,000 to sign Hardaker from Featherstone in late 2010, and now seem willing to sell him for £300,000. In just over five years he went from being a talented, skinny kid with speed and some potential to the best player in the competition.
The 24-year-old was voted Man of Steel last season, the first time that Leeds have had a player to win that title since Iestyn Harris back in 1998. Why would the Rhinos let him leave? And particularly in circumstances like this?
One thing to consider is that we only ever get to see a player for two hours each week when he runs out onto the field, while the club has him for 20 hours or so. Sometimes it's the things that takes place during that time which influences the retention and recruitment decisions that clubs make.
I have no knowledge of what has gone on behind the scenes, but what we do know is that he has been in trouble in the past.
Two years ago he was found guilty of abusing a referee. Last year he admitted to assaulting a student in Leeds, and I have observed some of the press conferences that he has attended and thought that his behaviour seemed slightly strange in those.
My experience of following the game tells me that when a team loses on a regular basis, someone gets blamed. It might not always be that person's fault, but the club feel the need to change something, and it looks like in this case it will be Hardaker at Leeds.
It is reported that he wishes to move to the NRL, but they do not typically pick up players like him mid-season. He may feel as though the club is going backwards and he no longer wishes to waste his time there. Whatever the outcome, there are always two sides to every story.
In the most unpredictable Super League season ever, the most unusual thing has happened. The best player from last year wants to leave the best team from 2015. What next for the Rhinos?