League 1 club take punt on amateur star following successful 2023 campaign: ‘He’s been outstanding’

League 1 outfit North Wales Crusaders have secured the signing of Louis Else from National Conference League Division Three club Leigh East ahead of 2024.

Else was a big part of East‘s run to the play-off final in 2023, an ever-present throughout the campaign as the club’s vice-captain as they were denied promotion only by Millom.

Cumbrian outfit Millom won 20-6 in the play-off final on home soil back in September, with Else scoring the only try for his side on the day and scooping man-of-the-match.

The 26-year-old – who as a youngster represented Lancashire at under-18’s level – would go on to win East’s Players’ Player of the Year award.

He now gets his chance in the higher echelons of the British rugby league pyramid for the first time with Carl Forster’s Crusaders, who also finished this year as beaten play-off finalists.

After a 6th place finish in the regular season, the Welsh outfit beat Workington Town, Oldham and Hunslet in the League 1 play-offs before falling at the final hurdle to Doncaster.

League 1 club North Wales Crusaders take punt on amateur star Louis Else following successful 2023 campaign: ‘He’s been outstanding’

Crusaders announced Else’s signing via their club website this morning, with boss Forster saying: “I’m really happy that Louis has decided to step up and give it a real good go.

“He’s been outstanding in training and put his best foot forward every session.

“You can see the improvements already in his skill set since his first session with us, and I’m looking forward to working with him this year.”

Meanwhile, having put pen to paper on a one-year deal at Stadiwm CSM, Else said: “Carl Forster approached me to come down to training and I have loved every minute of it so far.”

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