LEIGH CENTURIONS coach Kieron Purtill admits he has no idea whether he will still be at the club next season after another uncertain week.
Former NRL duo Daniel Mortimer and Kyle Lovett have become the latest players to leave. And while Purtill hopes they will be the last, he has confirmed that the Centurions have re-registered several local players who were due to feature for their reserves side this season as a precaution.
In addition, the Centurions have also announced that director of rugby Keiron Cunningham has left the club by mutual consent.
Purtill himself has been linked with the Academy job at Warrington Wolves but insists he doesn’t know where he will be working in 2019.
He told League Express: “It’s flattering to be linked with a club like Warrington, but I’m still looking for a job.
“I’m off contract here in October as I’ve said before, and as it stands I’ve got nothing in place after that and I’m actively looking at the moment.
“We’re not in a great place at the moment and there’s a lot of uncertainty both for people like me and others who don’t have a contract, and those who do that still have uncertainty over whether they will be honoured.
“It’s not great, but we have to get to the end of the year first.”
Asked whether Mortimer and Lovett will be the last exits, Purtill responded: “Hopefully, because we’re down to our last 19 players.
“There were lads who signed to play for our reserves team this year, but those contracts didn’t stand for the first team.
“What we did is transfer those over before the deadline so they could play if needed.”
One of those, former Leigh Miners Rangers and Thatto Heath amateur Mitch Cox, was called into the Leigh squad at the weekend.
The Centurions had another new addition to their squad this week in rugby union triallist Ed O’Keefe.
Purtill explained: “He’s an outside back who’s played professionally in Ireland and Italy and was looking to get into Rugby League.
“He’s contacted us earlier in the year, and we’ve offered him the chance to come over and train with us to see how he goes.
“He’s impressed this week – he’s only here for two weeks initially, so I’m not sure whether he’ll get a game, but he looks to be one of those untapped talents that you can find in rugby union and bring into the Rugby League community.”