Rugby League’s Offseason Transfer Frenzy
The rugby league offseason is in full swing, with teams already making moves to strengthen their rosters for the 2025 campaign. The sport’s unique player movement dynamics often see the majority of transfers occur before the current season reaches the halfway point.
This year has seen unprecedented levels of player movement, with a flurry of high-profile transfers happening even before the end of May – an unsettling period for many clubs. One team that has been particularly affected by the transfer frenzy is the Leigh Leopards. Their captain, John Asiata, will leave the club at the end of the season to join Hull FC, a move that dominated Super League headlines for over a week and drew the ire of Leigh owner Derek Beaumont.
“Rumors suggest that Zak Hardaker and Oliver Holmes have also signed for Hull, while Leigh is expected to undergo a major squad overhaul, with several Leopards players out of contract.”
The latest departure announced is that of prop forward Tom Amone, who has been a revelation since joining Leigh in 2022 and was named in the Super League Dream Team last season for his outstanding performances.
Amone’s move to the Canterbury Bulldogs in the NRL on a two-year deal has generated significant buzz. Bulldogs General Manager Phil Gould has boldly claimed that the club has signed the best prop forward in Super League, heaping praise on the 27-year-old and expressing excitement at welcoming him to Belmore for the pre-season.
Before embarking on his NRL adventure, Amone will hope to finish his time at Leigh Sports Village on a high, as the Leopards aim to make a strong push for the Super League play-off places in the second half of the season.
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