Halton links up with Leopards

Leigh Leopards have confirmed the signing of Ireland international forward Frankie Halton from Hull KR on a two-and-a-half year contract.

It's a case of ?welcome home? for the 26-year-old who played for Paul Anderson's Leigh Centurions Reserves before the team was disbanded at the end of the 2015 season.

Halton honed his skills with an outstanding three-year stint in the National Conference with Leigh Miners Rangers before Stuart Littler snapped him up for Swinton Lions in 2019. Within three years, via Featherstone Rovers, Halton was starring in Betfred Super League for the Robins.

Leopards head coach Adrian Lam highlighted the contribution of Club Owner Derek Beaumont and Head of Rugby Chris Chester in securing Halton's services. He said: "We've had the smallest squad in Super League throughout the campaign, and we've been vocal about adding to that over the past weeks.

"We need the right characters to come into the dressing room, however, and the signing of Frankie Halton will do that in droves.

"Credit must go to Chris Chester for helping us push this deal through, and to Derek Beaumont for his ever-growing support of the club. We're going well on the field at the moment and bringing a player with the talent of Frankie gives us a refreshed dynamic for our success."

Chris Chester added: "Frankie is a fast, elusive, and versatile second row, who will add a vast amount of experience, passion and ability joining up with the squad for the rest of the season and beyond. I'm really pleased we've been able to get this deal over the line.

"Being a local lad who started his career in the Reserves of this club before going on to play for Leigh Miners, who have been a key part of our development of our Women's side this year, it's a great story.

"Frankie returns to his hometown during a time of real success with progress on and off the pitch for the Leopards."

As a junior, Halton emerged through the ranks of Leigh Miners Rangers and had a spell with Warrington Wolves before becoming a key member of the Centurions Reserves side in 2014 and 2015.

He then was one of the stand-out forwards with Leigh Miners Rangers in the National Conference and earned selection for the England Lions Under-23s who competed in the Commonwealth Championships in Australia in 2018.

His outstanding form for Swinton Lions in 2019 earned him international honours for Ireland in their end of season World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Italy.

After his 2020 campaign was brought to a premature close by the pandemic, Halton signed for Featherstone Rovers and quickly became a key member of their successful 2021 season, which ended in disappointment with a grand final defeat at the hands of Toulouse Olympique.

But he was quickly snapped up by Hull KR and became a regular in their topflight side, ending his breakthrough season in Super League by representing Ireland against Jamaica, Lebanon, and New Zealand in the World Cup.

Halton, who has scored 20 tries in 84 professional games, played his final game for the Robins in their 26-14 victory over World Champions St Helens in mid-April.