“I was staggered” – Derek Beaumont left stunned by John Asiata’s Hull FC deal

Derek Beaumont has claimed he has been left “staggered” after reading reports about what John Asiata will be paid at Hull FC.

Hull FC confirmed the signing of Asiata yesterday with the Leigh Leopards skipper signing a three-year deal from 2025. Derek Beaumont has already claimed that the move from Hull FC suggests desperation, whilst he also bemoaned the conduct of the club.

Per Matt Shaw of Rugby League Live, Asiata will be paid a whopping £220,000, a figure that triggered Derek Beaumont to congratulate John Asiata with the Leigh owner shocked at the fee.

Beaumont was speaking ahead of Leigh’s clash with Castleford Tigers, addressing fans in a members’ room where he reassured them that John Asiata remains committed to the club. Footage of that can be seen via Leigh’s website.

He explained: “Where John is concerned, he is our captain. He’s been absolutely fantastic for us. We brought him over when he had the Covid issue and he’s grown very well with us, as have some other players.”

Derek Beaumont reveals details of deal offered to John Asiata

Asiata was among the biggest names off-contract for Leigh at the end of the current season and it’s Hull FC who have managed to land the loose forward, but the Leopards were keen to do so too.

Derek Beaumont has explained that the club actually upped their offer of one-year to two, but claimed the fees thrown around by Hull FC were “crazy”.

Beaumont said: “The work that Adrian Lam has done and other people in the club has made him really good so we wanted to keep John and we offered him a one-year deal. That’s because at his age and with the medical knowledge that we have and intel from our medical department, we felt that from the club’s point of view, that was the best thing to do.

“We then agreed with his agent to increase his salary but he wanted another year and we understand that. If I was representing John then I’d have insisted on that too.

“We moved to do that after we had seen him recover from his injury. You don’t really wanting to be dealing with players on long deals when they’re sat injured.”

It was Asiata’s injury record that had concerned Leigh, with Beaumont noting the huge chunk of recent games that the 31-year-old has missed.

“We have to also factor in that at the end of last season John missed the last four games through injury. He then played one game and a few minutes but got injured before returning against Castleford and then getting injured after 20 minutes against Catalans.

“So we’re sat with a player that’s played one in 15 games plus 20-odd minutes on a two-year deal with a significant part of our cap, plus a quota spot. The medical advice was that we’d be able to manage him in the second year, but then we were told that there was a significant offer.

“It was such an increase that we simply said no. You can’t have somebody coming in crazy and chucking daft offers around. If they want to run their business like that and give a player a three-year deal that we think is risky, then that’s their prerogative. That’s the business they want to do.”

He then explained that the figures that had been reported made his eyes water and that he contacted Asiata immediately to congratulate him on securing his and his family’s futures.

Beaumont said: “When I found out the figures that it’s being reported he is getting, I was made up for John. I was staggered by it but I was made up for him, and I contacted John to say that.

“He messaged back and said that he’s got unfinished business with the club. He wants to carry out our story for this year of getting up off the canvas, doing a bit of a Rocky Balboa and punching out in the end. We’ll see how that pans out. There’s no doubt about his commitment.

“What I can guarantee is that we’ll be spending the full salary cap as we are with the full three marquee quotas that you’re allowed, with a top-level coach, and that’s my commitment and that’s all I think everyone needs to know.”