Steve McNamara has landed his first signing at Hull FC, with the club bringing in a Leigh Leopards star for 2027.
Bailey Hodgson will make the move from the Leigh Sports Village to the MKM Stadium, ending a two-year stint under Adrian Lam.
The 23-year-old is understood by Serious About Rugby League to have signed on the dotted line for next season, confirming reports that were previously published online.
An ex-Castleford Tigers junior, Hodgson is the nephew of former England international Josh Hodgson, and like his uncle, he has spent time in the NRL.
Representing both Newcastle Knights and Manly Sea Eagles, he never got the opportunity to make a first-team appearance, but he did spend time in the reserve grade.
A nasty knee injury has ruled him out for the majority of 2026 so far, but last year he performed incredibly well at full-back in the absence of David Armstrong.
The number one role is expected to be where he plays at Hull FC, suggesting that Will Pryce would have to move into the halves and one of Jake Arthur or Aidan Sezer would be on the outer.
The deal is not yet confirmed by FC, however the news comes at a key time given that Leigh take on Hull this evening in Super League.
Hodgson is expected to feature tonight, meaning it will be interesting to see what kind of reception he gets – from both sets of fans.
Brodie Croft’s Leeds Rhinos exit & Hull FC’s unwanted record – click here to watch the latest episode of the Serious About Rugby League Show
