Leigh Leopards have made another new signing for the 2026 season after picking up young St Helens forward Oliver Polec on a long-term deal.
Polec came through the scholarship and academy systems at the Saints, and has represented Lancashire at Academy Origin level. He featured six times for the Saints’ reserve team in 2025, as well as 11 times for their academy.
However, he has now made the move across to the Leopards after agreeing to join Adrian Lam’s side on a three-year contract from the beginning of next season.
The prop has been heralded as a star of the future with ‘plenty of potential’ by Lam, who admits they have signed a player that can blossom into a high-end Super League forward.
“Oliver is a great addition to our squad,” Lam said.
“He is still a very young front row forward with plenty of potential. He is still learning his trade and I feel strongly that being in our system will help catapult him to the next level. Ollie is a competitor, an explosive and direct ball carrier. We are all looking forward to him joining our squad and watching him develop and grow over the next couple of years.”
Leopards CEO Neil Jukes added: “Whilst we’re working hard as a club to bring in players who can instantly strengthen our 17, it’s also important to have one eye on the future and that’s definitely the case with Oliver.
“He’s a young lad with all the right assets to really be a success in the game so we’re thrilled to bring him on board.”
Polec is the latest new name at Leigh, with more set to sign and be announced in the coming weeks. They are also believed to have agreed a deal to sign Innes Senior, while Love Rugby League revealed last month that they are interested in a possible move to sign Queensland Cup star Liam Sutton.
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