James Segeyaro's contract expires in 2018, say Leeds Rhinos

Hetherington says Leeds are prepared to go to court in their battle with Segeyaro, who has been placed on Rhinos’ transfer list with a £250,000 price tag.

Rhinos signed Segeyaro from Penrith Panthers last summer and announced in September he had agreed to remain at Headingley until the end of 2018, but the player refused to return to pre-season training just two months later, saying he had been homesick and had failed to settle in Leeds.

Segeyaro’s agent Sam Ayoub has been quoted in the Australian media as saying: “We will go through the appropriate channels to resolve the issue, but we are totally confident that James is not contracted to Leeds in 2017.”

But Hetherington insisted: “The contract he signed before he came to us is currently lodged with the RFL and that expires on November 30, 2018.

“We signed him for two and a half years. However, we accepted he might not settle and therefore we put a clause into the contract that he could, on or before September 1, notify the club that he would terminate the contract at the end of the season, so he played [for Leeds] in 2016 only.

“September 1 passed without him terminating the contract. Once that date passed we made a joint statement to the effect he was committed for a further two years. He terminated that contract by failing to return to the club, but he remains on our register and on the transfer list.”

Rhinos were in relegation danger when Segeyaro joined them, but won nine of their 10 games with him in the side.

Segeyaro has been strongly linked with Australian champions Cronulla Sharks, but will not be allowed to join them while Leeds hold his registration.

Rhinos have appointed solicitors in Australia to handle the case and Hetherington said there has been no approach from or negotiations with any club over Segeyaro. Leeds have already signed a replacement, paying Manly Sea Eagles an undisclosed fee for hooker Matt Parcell.