Leigh Leopards Retain Fullback Gareth O’Brien for 2025 Season
The Leigh Leopards have secured another key player for their 2025 campaign, with fullback Gareth O’Brien set to re-sign with the Super League club. O’Brien, who joined Leigh at the end of 2022, was off-contract at the end of this season, but Love Rugby League reports that the 32-year-old utility player has agreed to a one-year deal to stay with the Leopards.
O’Brien is the latest in a string of existing Leigh players that the club has retained for 2025, including wingers Josh Charnley and Umyla Hanley, as well as forwards Matt Davis and Jack Hughes. However, the Leythers have lost the services of loose forward John Asiata, who has agreed to a three-year contract with Hull FC, and back-rower Oliver Holmes, who will also be joining Asiata at the Black & Whites next season.
The experienced O’Brien, who can cover fullback, scrum-half and stand-off, has made six appearances for the Leopards this season, scoring one try and providing five try assists. He has been sidelined since early April after tearing his calf, but is expected to return to fitness and contention for selection by the end of May.
“O’Brien is the latest in a string of existing Leigh players that the club has retained for 2025.”
O’Brien started his Super League career with his hometown club Warrington in 2011, making 62 appearances and scoring 19 tries for the Wire. He then joined Salford in 2016, where he played a crucial role in the club’s survival, kicking the winning golden point extra-time drop goal in the Million Pound Game that relegated Hull KR.
After a stint with the now-defunct Toronto Wolfpack, O’Brien joined Castleford on loan in 2020, making 28 appearances for the Tigers before his move to Leigh at the end of last year. The fullback helped the Leopards win the Challenge Cup in 2022, starting in the number one jumper in the final at Wembley as the club claimed its first title since 1971.
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