On Monday night, Hull FC confirmed the signing of Leigh Leopards centre Zak Hardaker making him their fourth signing for 2025 and making Hardaker the fourth man confirmed to be exiting the Leigh Sports Village.
Since the announcement just over 36 hours ago, there have been a further two confirmed exits which takes the total to six. However, Leigh themselves have only actually confirmed two of those with the Leopards having responded to announcements regarding captain Tom Asiata and NRL-bound Tom Amone.
The other four ‘confirmed’ exits, Ollie Holmes, Zak Hardaker, Ed Chamberlain and Kai O’Donnell have simply been confirmed by their future club and not by Leigh Leopards. Like Amone, forward O’Donnell will also return to the NRL with North Queensland Cowboys confirming his signature.
There are also multiple Leigh players that have not been offered a contract for 2025 and with such a heavy turnover expected, we’ve assessed the 17 players currently either confirmed, reported or set to leave the club at the end of the season.
Leigh Leopards in line to lose 17 players for 2025
The 17 players that could exit Leigh Leopards at the end of the season can be split into three categories; those confirmed by Leigh Leopards, those confirmed by a rival club and those not offered a contract.
Just two names are on this list, which is rather short. The first to be added was John Asiata, whose confirmed move to Hull caused a great deal of controversy in the beginning of May and led to Leopards owner Derek Beaumont calling the Black and Whites “desperate.”
Beaumont complained that Hull FC had “thrown Asiata under the bus” by disclosing the contract before the parties had reached an agreement to make it public. Leigh did, however, validate the rumour that Asiata will be signing a three-year contract at the MKM Stadium.
Tom Amone, an additional international forward, is the other confirmed departure. It’s difficult to argue with Canterbury Bulldogs Director of Rugby Gus Gould’s assessment of him as “the best prop in Super League” when he heads there.
Currently, neither Zak Hardaker’s move to Hull FC nor Kai O’Donnell’s move to North Queensland Cowboys has been officially confirmed by the club. That’s in spite of confirmation from their respective clubs for 2025.
32-year-old Hardaker leaves after two seasons with the club, whilst O’Donnell returns back down under to the club whose academy he came through before debuting for Canberra Raiders in 2020.
Another two names have very recently joined this list as Hull FC announced last night that they had signed Ed Chamberlain and Ollie Holmes. Irish international, Chamberlain, been on loan at FC already this season but was recalled in the aftermath of the John Asiata fallout, however, have FC have now confirmed that the centre will return on a permanent deal for 2025.
Four players from the same team signed by a club in a single transfer window is quite an accomplishment, but Oliver Holmes, who is now expected to play in Black and White in 2025, is the result. Oliver Holmes was reportedly in route to the club, according to the Hull Daily Mail. This information was initially noticed in May, but it was confirmed yesterday night.
LEIGH LEOPARDS: Sam Cook is raiding the squad, resulting in the loss of 17 players for the 2025 season.10 July 2024
Leigh Panthers
Zak Hardaker, a center for Leigh Leopards, was officially signed by Hull FC on Monday night. This makes Hardaker the team’s fourth acquisition for 2025 and the fourth person confirmed to be leaving Leigh Sports Village.
Two more confirmed exits have been announced since the announcement just over 36 hours ago, bringing the total to six. Leigh has only officially confirmed two of those, though, as the Leopards have addressed reports about captain Tom Asiata and Tom Amone, who is headed to the NRL.
The four other “confirmed” exits—Kai O’Donnell, Ed Chamberlain, Ollie Holmes, and Zak Hardaker—have only been verified by their next club and
The other group of off-contract players could yet be offered a new deal but as yet without an announcement, they are set to leave the club at the end of the season.
Those men are Jack Hughes, Ben Nakubuwai, Keanan Brand, Nathan Wilde, Tom Nisbet, Lewis Baxter and Kavan Rothwell, taking the total number of players that Leigh Leopards are set to lose to 17.
Leigh have confirmed that NRL full-back David Armstrong will be arriving at the club but they will need a huge influx of other players to quash their outgoing talent.
Players Leigh Leopards are currently set to lose for 2025
Confirmed by Leigh
John Asiata (Hull FC)
Tom Amone (Canterbury Bulldogs)
Not confirmed by Leigh
Ed Chamberlain (Hull FC)
Kai O’Donnell (North Queensland Cowboys)
Oliver Holmes (Hull FC)
Zak Hardaker (Hull FC)
Not offered a new contract
Jack Darbyshire
Jacob Gannon
Jacob Jones
Ricky Leutele
Off-contract
Ben Nakubuwai
Jack Hughes
Kavan Rothwell
Keanan Brand
Lewis Baxter
Nathan Wilde
Tom Nisbet
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