Reports in the Hull Daily Mail suggest Hull FC have landed another Leigh Leopards player for the 2025 season, in the shape of second-rower Oliver Holmes.
He follows Leigh captain John Asiata to the MKM Stadium for the 2025 campaign, with Hull having now signed three players from the Leopards since Richie Myler took over as Director of Rugby.
Tom Briscoe was the first player to leave the Leigh Sports Village earlier in April, joining the Black & Whites immediately on an 18-month deal with Darnell McIntosh going the other way.
Then came the capture of Asiata, a deal that has since seen Leigh owner Derek Beaumont call out Hull for the way they announced his signing.
But that hasn’t stopped the Airlie Birds from going to the Leopards in their pursuit of more new signings for next season, with Holmes the next player to swap leopard print for black and white in 2025.
The report in Hull Live also claims that FC had attempted to bring in Holmes on loan for this season, but failed in that bid and will instead have to settle for bringing in the former Castleford and Warrington man for the next campaign.
Holmes adds experience to Hull FC
Oliver Holmes scoring for Leigh Leopards in their Challenge Cup semi-final win over St Helens in 2023. Credit: Imago Images
It’s since coming into Hull, Myler has put an emphasis on experience, something that has been lacking in a mentally fragile FC team this season.
The arrival of Briscoe, Asiata and now Holmes, all of whom are in their thirties, make the strategy pretty clear.
Holmes will be 32 by the time he joins Hull, having amassed over 250 career appearances since making his Castleford Tigers debut in 2010.
After spending a decade at the Tigers, Holmes joined Warrington in 2022, playing a season at the Wolves before signing for Leigh.
Holmes enjoyed a superb first season with the Leopards and helped them win the Challenge Cup at Wembley last August.
With plenty of top-level, big-game experience, Holmes is another excellent acquisition for Hull FC as they continue the squad rebuild under Myler.
Another player goes from Leigh to Hull
Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont. Credit: Imago Images
As mentioned, Holmes will join current Leigh captain John Asiata at Hull next season. He follows Tom Briscoe who arrived on an immediate deal last month, as well as Ed Chamberlain, who is now back at Leigh after a two-week loan.
The recall of Chamberlain to Leigh came after Leopards owner Beaumont questioned the conduct of Hull in the way they announced the signing of Asiata. Beaumont also stated he was ‘staggered’ at the amount Asiata would earn at FC.
If the reports of Leigh turning down a loan bid from Hull to take Holmes immediately, it only adds more weight to the argument of Beaumont being unhappy with Hull’s recruitment approach since Myler’s appointment.
The deal that takes Holmes to the MKM Stadium for 2025 is one Beaumont could have done little about, give the England Knights back-rower is out of contract.
It’s unknown whether Hull have offered Holmes a better deal than Leigh or if the Leopards and Beaumont opted against offer him a new contract at all.
What is clear at this point though is Hull’s intent in the transfer market, leaving Leigh with plenty of recruitment to do themselves for 2025 after Beaumont’s promise of spending the full cap for next season.
