LEIGH LEOPARDS owner Derek Beaumont has confirmed that the club missed out on new Leeds Rhinos signing Brodie Croft with a “marquee” signing set to join the Leopards.
Leigh have been linked with Dolphins halfback Anthony Milford with League Express previously revealing that the Samoan international would be staying in the NRL.
However, that deal is still being worked on, according to Beaumont, as he reveals why the move for Croft failed to materialise.
“We re in a salary-cap governed sport, so there is one key signing to achieve. People have spoken about Milford and Croft, I kept quiet on that because I never think it is healthy to talk about those things until they are done,” Beaumont said on Leopards TV.
“Brodie Croft, there was an interest without doubt for us, he is a proven player in Super League – all of Super League likes him.
“When some news came through surrounding what is happening in Super League regarding funding and sponsorship…I thought that might create opportunity in and around that player so we made contact around it.
“We pretty much had it agreed to progress but that didn’t quite materialise as quickly as Lammy (head coach Adrian Lam) and Chezzy (director of rugby Chris Chester) wanted.
“We withdrew as we were on a tighter deadline with the other player and didn’t want to end up with neither. We went with the other option and by that point Leeds got into a good place so when we revisited it it was too late.
“The other option is still being worked on. There is a marquee player to come, we will be patient. There is then perhaps one other player that would be seen in the 19-man squad level and that would see us done for starting.”
Listen to the full interview on Leopards TV here.
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