Leigh Leopards have confirmed that Joe Mellor has been released from his contract in order to join fellow Betfred Super League club Salford Red Devils.
Mellor, 33 last month, has been an outstanding player for the club and over the past three seasons has contributed fully to some of the greatest achievements in Leigh’s long history.
Leopards Head of Rugby Chris Chester said: “Joe has been an exemplary professional on and off the field and leaves with our thanks and best wishes. We would have been more than happy to retain Joe for another season in Super League but at this stage of his career he felt that a longer-term deal from Salford offered him the security he was looking for.
“Joe was our co-captain during the treble winning season of 2022 when we won the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup, the Championship League Leaders Shield and the Grand Final against Batley Bulldogs. Last season he played a big part in the Challenge Cup winning campaign and in the club finishing in the top half of Super League.
“Joe is a great guy, a very talented and versatile professional and is popular around the club and we all wish him well at Salford.”
Mellor has played first team rugby for 13 seasons, graduating through the ranks at Wigan Warriors, then forging his reputation during eight seasons with Widnes Vikings. After playing for Toronto Wolfpack up until their demise he joined the then Centurions as they successfully bid to take up the vacant spot in the elite competition.
Earning club heritage number HN#1507 he followed in the footsteps of his father Sean (HN#904) in playing for the club. Sean made his debut during Leigh’s 1981-82 first division-winning season and played in the record-breaking 1985-86 second division title campaign, when Leigh scored over 1,000 points.
The Mellor family of father and son can therefore rightly lay claim to having jointly played in some of the Leigh club’s most memorable seasons.
Joe Mellor scored 22 tries in 71 Leigh games to leave him on the verge of a notable milestone. In 276 career games he has scored 98 tries.
He will likely help replace Brodie Croft and Andy Ackers who joined Leeds Rhinos.
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