Salford Red Devils win race to sign former Leeds Rhinos star Kallum Watkins

Having won three Grand Finals with Leeds - where he played more than 250 games - he joined Gold Coast Titans in June of last year.

Watkins asked for an early release, though, after his father contracted Covid and he moved back to the UK to link up with Toronto Wolfpack on a three-year deal in May.

However, with the sport shutdown due to the pandemic, he never actually played for the Canadian franchise who pulled out of this Super League campaign in July after hitting significant financial issues which leaves their future still in doubt.

Watkins, instead, has opted for a move to Salford, signing a three-year contract with immediate effect.

He was a season ticket holder and ball boy there when growing up and it is hoped he will now be able to get back to his best having seen recent seasons blighted by the after-effects of a 2018 knee reconstruction.

Watkins, 29, said: “It’s great to be part of the team and representing Salford will be an honour for me.

“I know it’s been a long time coming in a sense, but I grew up wanting to play rugby league and Salford was key to my development.

“The Club means a great deal to me. If I hadn’t had those opportunities to support the Club and be a ball boy growing up, you don’t know what would have happened.

“I might not be in the position I am, without having those influences.

“My family are really excited and really proud.

“We’ve talked about how good it would be to play for Salford, but also wanting to achieve something big with the Club.”

Watkins, who also won the Challenge Cup and World Club Challenge during his Rhinos day, played in the 2017 World Cup final with England and was rated one of the best centres in the sport.

Ironically, the Red Devils were due to face Toronto this week but his debut could now come in the Challenge Cup quarter-final against Catalans Dragons next week.

Salford head coach Ian Watson said: “We are extremely lucky to have been in a position to acquire a player of Kallum’s quality and I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to work with him.

“Building a team through players who are competitive and work hard has been really successful for us, but to get a player with both of those traits and world class ability is how we will grow into a team that challenges every year.

“Kallum has that and he recognises our progress as a team and a club, in recruiting other players with these three traits over the last few years.

“Being a local lad, Kallum will be embraced by the Salford supporters and I’m sure over the next few years he will prove to be one of the Club’s best signings and it will show a real intent, not only for the remainder of this year, but in 2021, where we should have a phenomenal back line.”