The Wests Tigers have confirmed international forward Luciano Leilua will leave the club after next season to join North Queensland.
Leilua was understood to have been negotiating a new contract with the club beyond next season but has decided to take his future to Townsville, accepting a three-year deal with the Cowboys.
A report in The Daily Telegraph claimed Leilua would seek an immediate release to move to Townsville, however, the Tigers expect the Samoan star to see out the final year of his contract next season.
"Wests Tigers forward Luciano Leilua has confirmed to the club he will depart at the end of the 2022 season to take up a long-term deal with another NRL club," a statement from the Tigers read.
"The 25-year-old Leilua joined Wests Tigers at the start of the 2020 season and has gone on to play a total of 44 games for the club.
"Since his arrival, Luciano has made a strong contribution to Wests Tigers, and we have no doubt that he is firmly committed to delivering his best football with the club in 2022.
"We wish Luciano, his partner Dora, and daughter Ida-Lynn all the best in the future."
It's understood Leilua was valued at $700,000 by his management during negotiations with the Tigers, who were hesitant to meet those demands, opening the door for the Cowboys to swoop.
The loss of Leilua is a huge blow for Michael Maguire's side given the influence the Hurstville United product has had since joining Wests from St. George Illawarra at the start of 2020.
After being used sparingly by Paul McGregor down in Wollongong, the skillful Leilua has transformed into a powerful 80-minute edge forward and was rated among the Tigers' best performers in 2021.
While it also means Tigers fans won't get a chance to see Leilua form a damaging partnership in the back row with Isaiah Papali'i, who will join the Tigers in 2023 on a three-year deal.
For the Cowboys, the signing of Leilua comes as a major relief after the Queensland club narrowly missed out on the signature of premiership Panthers star Viliame Kikau.
“We’ve always been steadfast on our desire to add more experience to our forward pack, particularly in the edge back row position,” Cowboys football manager Micheal Luck said.
“Luciano is developing into an 80-minute backrower and he has some tools in his kit bag that not a lot of other players possess. He’s a threat with the footy and he can create for others through his passing, offloading and his ability to break the line.
“We believe he will add a significant point of difference to our attack and will be difficult for opposition defences to plan against.
“We’re also excited about the lessons Luciano can teach our young forwards through his experiences during the early years of his NRL career.”