Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont has restarted his spat with Hull FC after claiming that the way the Black and Whites are operating this season is ‘not right’.
The war of words between rugby league’s larger-than-life owner Beaumont and Hull FC started when FC announced the signing of John Asiata and did so using quotes that hadn’t been agreed upon by Leigh.
Speaking in the days after the announcement by Hull FC, Derek Beaumont claimed that John Asiata had been thrown under the bus before labelling the club as “desperate”.
“Desperate people do desperate things and that’s what I kind of put it down to because they look pretty desperate,” Beaumont boldly stated when addressing a number of fans in the club’s Hospitality Suite prior to facing Castleford Tigers.
He would then continue on his apparent vendetta with Hull FC, accusing them of “putting the cue in the rack” and cutting playing staff to be profitable. He’s now doubled down on that in Leigh Leopards’ latest YouTube video that features a Q&A with Beaumont.
Quiz: Name these 10 former Hull FC players
“Sport’s about winning” – Beaumont discusses Leigh’s intent
Credit: Imago Images
After explaining that Leigh Leopards look set to be safe under IMG and could even knock on the door of a Grade A licence, Derek Beaumont made the bold call that he’d demand Leigh drop to the Championship if they finished bottom of Super League.
He argued: “Having said that, if we were to finish bottom of the Super League, I would be saying I’d like to go back to the Championship because that’s where I think we should be. If we finish bottom and London finish above us, it wouldn’t be right morally for me to stay in and watch them get relegated.
“We’ll do what we can and fight and bring players in and do what you do to not finish bottom whilst also working on our off-field points for IMG.
“I think sport’s about winning, it’s about competing. We didn’t get to 15 points and then not bother signing Matt Moylan.”
As it stands with the preliminary gradings, it seems almost certain that London Broncos will be relegated regardless of their position, whilst Grade A Hull FC who are level on points with the capital club are certain to be safe if they can retain that Grade.
“It’s not right and shouldn’t be rewarded” – What Derek Beaumont has said about Hull FC
Credit: Imago Images
On that, Beaumont circled back to Hull FC and why IMG’s system doesn’t work, noting: “I don’t think what Hull FC are doing this year is right. That’s nothing to do with John Asiata or any other players that may or may not sign from us. I won’t go over old ground, I’m really pleased for John. But to clear all your decks out and be interested in how you’re going to make a profit and not be bothered because there’s no relegation is not sport. It’s not right and it shouldn’t be rewarded.
“On the opposite end of the spectrum you’ve got London who came in knowing that they had no hope but they’re fighting and they’re trying and trying not to finish bottom.
“I just think that’s one element why this kind of no relegation and scoring thing just doesn’t work. I’m not trying to just single Hull FC out but nobody else who is also safe has done it.”
In terms of Hull FC ‘clearing their decks out’, the club have released both Tex Hoy and Nu Brown with the latter heading home on compassionate leave. Jack Brown has also been offloaded to Hull KR in a swap deal that saw Yusuf Aydin go the other way.
John
June 3, 2024 at 10:46 pm
Can’t somebody shut him up! Beaumont voted for the IMG proposals. Now it’s not all going hos way he doesn’t like it.
I’d also be interested to know how Beaumont expects to get a provisional 12.45 at the end of the 2023 season to “close to a grade A” ie 15.00 by the end of this season, particularly when they will lose points from 2023 as they didn’t even reach the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup and are very unlikely to get to 5th place again in the league.
John miller Laws
June 4, 2024 at 4:00 pm
Somebody s throwing his toys out his pram again ho dear Derek shut the fook up you voted for it so live with it you big baby