Released Leigh Leopards man lands new club in Australia
Ben Nakubuwai has a new club in Australia.
Former Leigh Leopards forward Ben Nakubuwai has secured a new club – after agreeing a deal to return to Norths Devils for the 2025 season.
Nakubuwai left Leigh last month to return to Australia after failing to make an appearance for the club at the start of the new Super League season.
He joined the Leopards at the start of 2022 and played a pivotal role in their promotion-winning season from the Championship, as well as starring in their 1895 Cup triumph in the same year.
But with Nakubuwai’s opportunities limited at the beginning of this year, he and Leigh mutually agreed to part ways, with Nakubuwai returning to Australia.
And he has now re-signed for Norths, the club with whom he helped lift the Queensland Cup in 2021.
The move also marks a reunion with the coach who masterminded that success: former Leeds Rhinos boss Rohan Smith, who is now back at Norths in 2025.
That Queensland Cup squad of 2021 also included the likes of Danny Levi, Liam Horne and Nene Macdonald, both of whom would go on to agree deals in England alongside Smith and Nakubuwai.
But Nakubuwai has now re-signed with the club for the remainder of this season as they look to secure more success in the Hostplus Cup.
His departure from Leigh frees up a quota spot for the Leopards to use in the transfer market. They have since been linked with a number of players – the most recent of which is New Zealand Warriors man Te Maire Martin.
Leigh head coach Adrian Lam addressed those links this week. He said: “We’re obviously in the market for one or two players, and we’ve got that availability with the quota spots and financially, as well.
“I think anyone that’s coming off-contract is going to be linked with us now over the next four to six weeks, and that’s fine.”
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