Leigh Centurions have signed prop forward Greg Richards from St Helens until the end of the 2018 season.
Since making his Saints debut in 2013, Richards has played 73 times and was part of the side that won the 2014 Super League Grand Final.
The 22-year-old Cumbrian has played for Sheffield Eagles this season on dual-registration and failed to break into the Saints team.
Leigh head coach Neil Jukes said: “Greg has been at an elite club for a number of years and played a lot of games. He is going to bring good habits and plenty of experience, even though he has youth on his side.
“Greg has really bought into our vision and what we want to achieve at Leigh Centurions. He sees the opportunities that are in front of us but first of all wants to be part of achieving our goals of maintaining our Super League status.
“Greg will add competition and energy to the middles and he has shown he can do it at the highest level.”
Centurions owner Derek Beaumont added: “Greg is a big lad with a lot of experience for his age and will help stiffen up the middle, giving Jukesy a bit more to choose from. It was always my intention to add a middle with losing big Dayne (Weston) and this became even more necessary with the disciplinary charge given to Jamie (Acton).
“I would like to thank Eamonn and Mike of Saints for enabling this to happen and Greg’s agent Dave Peet for seeing it through in a timely manner despite being on vacation. Greg’s signing concludes the Club’s business for this season and we will now lockdown and prepare for the middle 8s.”
