Rugby League News: Leigh Leopards Brace for Major Squad Overhaul Ahead of 2025 Season
As the Leigh Leopards look ahead to the 2025 Super League campaign, their squad will undergo a significant transformation. Several members of the team that secured promotion and won the 2023 Challenge Cup are set to depart the club in the coming seasons.
The first high-profile exit was confirmed with John Asiata’s move to Hull FC. Reports also suggest that Oliver Holmes and Zak Hardaker will join Asiata in crossing the Pennines, while Tom Amone has agreed a contract with the Canterbury Bulldogs in the NRL.
Additionally, key players such as Lachlan Lam have been linked with potential moves away from the Leopards, although nothing has been officially confirmed as yet.
However, the club received a boost when head coach Adrian Lam opted to sign an extended deal, rejecting interest from Hull. But Lam will have to plan for the departure of another of his star players, who is set to return to the NRL.
One player who has already confirmed his next move is Kai O’Donnell. The second-rower, who joined the Leopards from the Canberra Raiders in 2022 and played a pivotal role in their successful 2023 campaign, will join the North Queensland Cowboys for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Cowboys general manager Michael Luck expressed his delight at bringing the “powerfully built” O’Donnell back to North Queensland, where he previously spent time in the club’s academy.
Despite the impending squad changes, Leigh Leopards remain in the hunt for a Super League play-off place this season. However, their chances were dented by a recent defeat against Hull KR, leaving them seven points behind sixth-placed Salford Red Devils with a game in hand.
The Leopards will need to avoid any further slip-ups in the second half of the campaign as they aim to cement their place in the top six.
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