Leigh confirm player-swap deals with Huddersfield

Leigh have confirmed they have agreed a season-long loan swap deal with Huddersfield that involves three players.

Forward Jack Ashworth will link up with the Centurions for the rest of the campaign, with hooker Nathan Peats and Nathaniel Peteru going the other way.

Ashworth, 25, came through the academy at St Helens before joining Huddersfield on a two-year deal ahead of this season. He is an England Knights international.

Leigh caretaker coach Kurt Haggerty said: “Jack is a big, aggressive middle, who is also good defensively. He’s coming here to get game time and as long as he rips in, he should be in our 17 each week.

“He created a good impression the last time he was at Leigh and Derek (Beaumont) speaks highly of him. Jack has maybe not got the game time he was looking for at Huddersfield so far, but he’s a Super League professional and he will soon fit in here and adapt really quickly.”

Former State of Origin hooker Peats, 30, has played 11 games for Leigh since joining the club and recently played for the Combined Nations All Stars in their win over England.

Prop Peteru, 29, has made 11 appearances for the Centurions since arriving at the club from Hull KR.

Huddersfield coach Ian Watson said: “Someone like Nathan Peats offers experience that is vital for the team; he offers 150 NRL games, he’s been picked for State of Origin and he’s in an area of the field playing at hooker where you need a player who can lead a team around the park, and we believe Nathan Peats can do that.

“Peteru is a big middle who adds experience to the squad and has offered good performances at Leeds, Hull KR and this season at Leigh. He gives us a different dimension in attack, and he’s the kind of person that can take the club forward and offer his experience to our youth players.”