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Leigh Leopards Secure Rising Star Umyla Hanley’s Future with Two-Year Contract Extension
The Leigh Leopards have successfully retained one of their promising young talents, as the club has confirmed that winger Umyla Hanley will remain with the team until the end of the 2026 season. This crucial re-signing comes as a major boost for the Leopards, who have seen Hanley emerge as a standout performer this season following an injury to veteran Tom Briscoe.
The 22-year-old Hanley, son of Rugby League legend Ellery, initially joined the Leopards ahead of the 2023 campaign, reuniting with his former Wigan Warriors coach Adrian Lam. While opportunities were limited in his debut year due to the impressive form of Leopards’ experienced wingers Charnley and Briscoe, Hanley has seized his chance in 2024, scoring an impressive 10 tries in just eight games, including two hat-tricks.
Leigh’s Head of Rugby, Chris Chester, praised Hanley’s patience and hard work, stating,
“Umyla has been outstanding this year and it’s very exciting to have the prospect of watching his development at close quarters.”
With Briscoe’s recent return to his former club, Hull FC, the need to secure Hanley’s long-term future became even more pressing for the Leopards, who have a significant number of players off contract at the end of the season.
Hanley himself expressed his delight at extending his stay with the Leigh club, saying,
“I’m made up to re-sign at Leigh, and I can’t thank the staff and the lads enough. This is like my second family and I’m looking forward to making more memories with them on the pitch and to bringing more success to this great club.”
The Leopards will be hoping Hanley’s contract extension and continued development will translate into more on-field success as they prepare to host the Castleford Tigers in their next fixture.
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