“Here to lead the pack” – Centurions confirm rebranding to Leigh Leopards
Leigh Centurions owner Derek Beaumont has confirmed his side has rebranded to Leigh Leopards for the 2023 Super League season.
The side won promotion to Super League after winning the Championship Grand Final over Batley for a place in the top division.
“We’ve got to change,” Beaumont said during an event at the Leigh Sports Village on Thursday afternoon. “We’ve changed our ethos, recruitment and investment.
“It’s not a whim. It was the result of quite a lot of research over a period of time.
“It’s a re-branding of our club that creates a lot more opportunities from a commercial and retail aspect.”
“They’ll be more about what that side will be next year. But you can clearly see, we’re not messing about. We’re not going in to make up the numbers.
“It creates a lot more opportunity. For commercial aspects, retail and branding.
“It’s not, that’s the end of Leigh Centurions and the start of Leigh Leopards. It’s just a rebranding of our club.”
Leigh Leopards confirm 10 new signings
During Thursday’s presentation, the newly-rebranded club also confirmed 10 new signings ahead of the 2023 Super League season.
Zak Hardaker makes the switch from Leeds Rhinos and was present alongside Ricky Leutele, who also joins the club from Huddersfield.
Tom Briscoe, Jacob Gannon, Oliver Holmes, Gareth O’Brien, Matt Davis, Robbie Mulhern and Nathan Wilde have also signed, taking the amount to 10 new signings for 2023.
“Me and Lammy have had a good connection since my Wigan days,” Hardaker said. “It was a number of factors why it’s going to be an exciting year.
“I turned up today and didn’t realise Ricky had signed, it’s just amazing.
“I want to be top six, top four, we want to reach for the top, I wouldn’t come here if I didn’t think that possible.”
Leigh general manager Neil Dukes told the conference that, of the 27 members of Lam’s squad, 23 have signed minimum two-year contracts.
Nine of the new signings have agreed on two-year deals, while Wilde is the only on one.
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