Leigh Leopards: Derek Beaumont reveals signing from Super League rivals

Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont has revealed that the club have signed a player for 2025 from Castleford Tigers.

After the May 1st deadline, which Beaumont went on to describe as a myth and “pointless”, clubs have been free to negotiate with rival teams and players whose contracts are set to run down and that is what has happened in this instance.

That’s already been evident with Hull FC signing Leigh Leopards’ captain John Asiata on a whopping three-year deal, a move that shocked plenty of fans across Super League.

Addressing a number of fans in the club’s Hospitality Suite before Leigh Leopards faced Castleford Tigers, Beaumont opened up on the May 1st myth, explaining: “The 1st of May deadline is actually a completely pointless thing. As clubs, owners and CEOs, we all agreed at the latest meeting that we should just eradicated that and it’s fair game.

“Once a player goes into the final year of the contract then anybody can start negotiating because it’s what happens anyway.

“It seems odd to have this rule that makes it seem like you’re doing something naughty, but if you don’t do it then you’re disadvantaged.

“So, that deadline has kind of been removed but it was a deadline to work towards so Chezzie (Chris Chester, Director of Rugby) would be getting players done. We’ve signed players that we’ve not announced yet, other clubs have signed players.”

He would use that speech to criticise Hull FC and their “desperate” approach and conduct when signing Asiata.

Who have Leigh Leopards signed from Castleford Tigers?

The Leigh Leopards’ owner then went on to reveal that the club had signed one of Craig Lingard’s Castleford Tigers players for 2025, as he referenced the differences in Leigh’s approach versus that of Hull FC.

Beaumont didn’t go as far as to report the identity of the player but rumours have been swirling that it is forward Brad Martin, those rumours having further credibility added with the report from Rugby League Live that Martin has signed for 2025.

He said: “There’s a player that has been signed from here (Castleford) that has not been announced by the club because that’s the correct etiquette.

“The business remains private, if it gets leaked like the John Asiata one did then you don’t comment on it, respond to it or acknowledge it.”

John Asiata, it was announced recently, has signed for Hull FC, amidst a flurry of signings for this season after a restructuring of the club’s recruitment team, including the appointment of Richie Myler as Director of Rugby.

On this, Beaumont said: “To see John thrown under the bus by the club he’s going to go to, which is what Hull FC have done in my opinion by putting that picture of him out holding the cup, with words that “I think have been provided by his agent rather than him. It’s not really good behaviour at all.

“Desperate people do desperate things and that’s what I kind of put it down to because they look pretty desperate.”

He’d also go on to reveal that he was “staggered” by the reported wages that Asiata will earn during his time at the MKM Stadium.