THERE was a time going towards the back end of the 2022 Super League season when it looked almost certain that Leeds Rhinos star Zak Hardaker would stay at Headingley.
Having joined the West Yorkshire club on a short-term deal until the end of the year, Hardaker impressed head coach Rohan Smith greatly, and with the departure of Jack Walker, it looked like almost a formality that the 31-year-old would sign for Leeds.
However, wind the clock forward a few months and Hardaker was unveiled as one of ten new signings for newly-promoted Leigh Leopards in a major coup for Adrian Lam’s men.
Now, the Pontefract-born Hardaker has revealed how he almost signed for the Rhinos and why he chose the Leopards as his new home.
“Obviously going towards the back end of last year I was going to sign for Leeds and then I wasn’t going to sign for Leeds,” Hardaker told The Sportsman.
“The talk was that I wanted to and Leeds wanted me to, and it was a process that they had to get right as well. There were some things on their side which meant that they had to wait until the death.
“For me, the opportunity came for something different, a different opportunity to what I’ve been used to, a newly promoted team, people speaking about how we hopefully don’t get relegated.”
Hardaker is now determined to prove people wrong – with Leigh widely tipped to finish near the bottom of the Super League table in their first season back in the top flight.
“I haven’t signed here to be battling for the bottom two places, I’m an ultra competitive person, I want to win as many games as I can,” Hardaker continued.
“Before I signed I was looking at all my options and I was looking at the signings that they were making, the lads that were already there from last year, the coaching staff, and it’s just something that really excites me. I’m going to be 32 before the end of this year and I think you just need a motive and a drive every year.”
