14. AARON PENE
Middle; Born Sydney, NSW, Australia 1995; Former club: Melbourne Storm; Senior debut: 2020; Leopards debut: 2024 (HN#1564); Senior career record: 47 games, 1 try’ Leopards record: 15 games, 1 try
Aaron joined up with the Leopards midway through the 2024 season and was a regular off the bench in the second half of the campaign. The powerhouse prop made his NRL debut for Melbourne Storm in the 2020 season after impressing in the Queensland Cup competition. The Melbourne team had relocated to Queensland to help overcome the challenges of the pandemic.
He had one season with the New Zealand Warriors in 2022 before returning to Melbourne and made 32 NRL appearances. Born in Sydney of German and Samoan heritage, he played for Canterbury Bulldogs and Parramatta Eels as a junior. Aaron was playing for Sunshine Coast in the Queensland Cup when he was granted a release by his parent club Melbourne Storm to pursue a career in the UK.