IN case you have missed it, the Leigh Centurions as a brand is no more.
Instead, the Leigh Leopards will take to Super League 2023 following an incredible Championship season in 2022 in which the Lancashire club lost just one game all year.
The major talking point in rugby league in the past week, despite there being an incredible World Cup tournament, has been that rebrand of Leigh with owner Derek Beaumont attempting to revitalise the Leigh brand with a new logo, name and kit – as well as ten new signings.
Those ten were, of course, Zak Hardaker, Ricky Leutele, Tom Briscoe, Matt Davis, Rob Mulhern, Jack Hughes, Nathan Wilde, Jacob Gannon, Gareth O’Brien and Oliver Holmes.
However, in and amongst those new signings were two that went under the radar, taking the actual number of signings to 12.
One of those was former St Helens winger Tom Nisbet who spent 2022 on loan at the Leopards, playing eight games which was no easy feat considering the wealth of talent that Leigh possessed out wide.
Nisbet has now signed a one-year deal at the Leigh Sports Village, though it’s unlikely that the 23-year-old will be able to force his way in front of Blake Ferguson and Josh Charnley on the flanks.
The other under-the-radar signing was also from St Helens – and that was hooker Aaron Smith who also spent 2022 on loan at the Leopards.
Smith, 26, registered over 30 appearances for Leigh during last season, bringing stability around the ruck and great defensive prowess in the middle.
The hooker has now signed a one-year deal to stay at the LSV for 2023.
