Leigh Leopards have confirmed a new long-term deal for their longest-serving player, tying him down until the end of the 2028 season.
The Leopards are one of a handful of teams to have started the Super League season with two wins from two and they’ll look to build on that on Friday night when they host winless Catalans Dragons.
However, prior to that game the club have shared the positive news that outside back Keanan Brand has signed a new contract which ties him to the club until 2028.
Brand is the Leopards’ longest-serving player with Lam recently speaking about that fact and his love for the 26-year-old Ireland international.
He initially joined on loan from Warrington Wolves before signing permanently for the 2022 season, making 2025 his fifth year with Leigh with both Brand and the Leopards growing in that time, even undergoing a name change.
Part of Brand’s tenure with the club was disrupted as he left to head onto reality TV show Love Island, however, his willingness to return and make it into the first-team highlights his ability and desire.
Leigh Leopards sign longest-serving player to new long-term deal
🐆 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡𝗦 𝟯 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗟! 🖊
Leigh Leopards are delighted to confirm that Keanan Brand has signed a three-year extension to his contract, tying him to the club until the end of 2028!
Brand is sponsored by @GMProjects2017
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— Leigh Leopards (@LeighLeopardsRL) February 27, 2025
Leigh confirmed the new deal for Brand in a club statement which the Leopards shared on their website.
It read: “Leigh Leopards are delighted to confirm that Keanan Brand has signed a three-year extension to his contract, tying him to the club until the end of 2028.
“Brand, 26, is the club’s longest serving player having initially joined on a season-long loan from Warrington Wolves in 2021 before making the deal permanent. The Ormskirk born fullback or three-quarter began his professional career with Widnes Vikings and made his international debut for Ireland last autumn in a 36-6 win against Scotland.”
Keanan Brand said: “I’m absolutely delighted to sign this deal. I never wanted to play anywhere else and now I want to go on and win things playing alongside my best mates.
“I’ve been at Leigh five years now and I love what we have built. I’m excited to see what we can achieve here with this special group of people.
“I think the next few years are very exciting for the team. We are a very fit team, as we proved against Wigan and we’re now a top four team that everyone wants to play for.”
Brand confirmed that he’d previously turned down a two-year deal with the centre giving himself “one more year to prove to myself I could do it”, something he has certainly done.
The Ireland international hailed Lam’s influence, stating: “Having Adrian Lam as head coach is massive too. I love him as a person and his people skills are fantastic. He’s the best coach I’ve ever had.
“The club is chalk and cheese from when I first arrived. It’s still a family club and everyone is friendly, but the professionalism has gone through the roof.”
Leopards Head of Rugby Chris Chester said: “Keanan’s followed in the footsteps of Umyla Hanley and Darnell McIntosh and been waiting patiently for his opportunity and in the early stages of this season he’s really taken that opportunity not just with impressive performances but putting important points on the board too.
“Adrian would tell anyone who’d listen in pre-season that Keanan had returned in the best shape of his career and was training at an incredible level, leading most of our pre-season drill competitions and that hard work on the training field has translated into the playing field.
“He’s the longest serving player at the club which is a testament of his love for the club. This deal continues our plan to tie down players, so you don’t see the same level of turn around as in previous seasons.”
