Leigh Leopards seal major transfer deal as Newcastle Knights man agrees Super League switch

Leigh Leopards have secured the signing of David Armstrong for the 2025 season after he sensationally decided against a new deal to remain in the NRL with Newcastle Knights, Love Rugby League has learned.

Leigh had made Armstrong their number one target for a series of months, and had gone all-out to convince him to make the move to Super League next year. They were convinced they had a deal complete before Armstrong then got a run of games in the NRL with the Knights.

His impressive form led to not only the Knights tabling a deal to keep him next year, but interest from clubs including Sydney Roosters. He looked set to spurn interest from the Roosters to sign a new long-term deal with Newcastle as recently as last week.

But Love Rugby League has been told that Leigh have now convinced Armstrong that his future lies in Super League – and he has, incredibly, gone back on a deal with the Knights to instead join Adrian Lam’s Leopards in 2025.

He has scored five tries in five NRL games in 2024 to boost his reputation Down Under, which led to the Knights acting swiftly to tie him down to a new deal.

But Leigh’s multi-year, lucrative deal now looks to have convinced Armstrong that he should be playing in Super League in 2025.

With Aaron Pene set to join Leigh in the coming days, it is another impressive bit of business from the Leopards, who head to Catalans Dragons this weekend looking to re-ignite a push for the play-offs.

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