Derek Beaumont issues cryptic response to Leigh Leopards recruitment question

Leigh Leopards’ owner Derek Beaumont has posted a potentially cryptic response to questions about the club’s recruitment for 2025.

The Leopards are among the Super League clubs who have made the most number of signings ahead of the 2025 season, however, they may not be done yet.

Leigh’s plans around recruitment and squad building for 2025 were thrown off when 2024 recruit Matt Moylan decided to hang up the boots out of the blue, one year into his two-year deal.

The Australian called time on his career and returned Down Under at the end of the 2024 season, leaving the Leopards without their presumed starting half – prompting suggestions that they would make a move to sign a replacement.

Moylan, who had played full-back for the majority of 2024, had been expected to return to halves after Leigh signed Newcastle Knights’ full-back David Armstrong – however, his exit means incumbent Gareth O’Brien will likely keep his role unless they make a signing.

That’s something that Derek Beaumont has now commented on, albeit in a somewhat cryptic way.

Leigh Leopards owner comments on potential half-back signing

The Leopards launched their away shirt on New Years Day and to great success with Beaumont reporting over 500 pre-orders in the first ten hours of release.

However, it seems some fans weren’t content with a new shirt but also wanted information on when, not if, there would be a ‘half-back announcement’ – something that fans seem to think is in the pipeline.

Rumours and reports of the Leopards’ intent to sign a new playmaker have been frequent, with Serious About Rugby League revealing that Leigh had ‘shown an interest’ in Salford’s Marc Sneyd.

Now, Beaumont has responded to that question of: “When’s the half-back announcement?”, with his response perhaps leading to more questions than answers.

“Damn, I knew we would forget something”, posted Beaumont with an accompanying laughing emoji – a response that could either indicate a signing may be in the works or simply a reaction to fans demanding more.

Damn I knew we would forget something 🙈😂🏉🐆 https://t.co/lgzR5FIp4E

— Derek John Beaumont (@derek_beaumont) January 1, 2025

Beaumont had previously commented about Moylan’s exit about how tough it would be to find a replacement with the Leigh owner explaining: “It will be a loss at this stage of the season if we’ve got to start finding somebody new because there is nothing planned for it. We’d be at square one with it.”

In Leigh’s favour is the fact that they do have an available quota spot so they could sign a playmaker from the NRL if they have the cap space, however, a number of potential options have recently been snapped up.

Jayden Sullivan and Anthony Milford, both previously linked with Super League moves, have signed with South Sydney Rabbitohs and Souths Logan Magpies respectively.

Should Leigh not sign a half-back then they would start the season with incumbent Gareth O’Brien as the presumed starter alongside Lachlan Lam, with Ben McNamara as cover.