Hull FC have announced the signing of Leigh Leopards captain Isaac Liu, with the veteran forward signing a one-year deal with the club.
Liu becomes the fourth signing of the Steve McNamara era, and he joins teammate Bailey Hodgson, NRL legend Daly Cherry-Evans and Catalans hooker Alrix Da Costa for the new season.
When asked after Leigh’s victory over Leeds on Thursday, Leopards boss Adrian Lam refused to comment on a potential Liu exit, with the head coach stating it wasn’t Leigh policy to talk about player exits until the end of the season.
The 35-year-old will be a key mcmber of McNamara side, with his experience both at NRL and international level coming as a huge boost to the club.
The 12-time New Zealand international made 272 NRL appearances before linking up with the Leopards at the start of 2025, where he arrived in place of John Asiata, who will be his teammate in 2027.
Both Liu and McNamara have experience together, with the pair working closely at the Sydney Roosters in 2013.
Hull FC land Isaac Liu as latest piece of recruitment puzzle added
Commenting on his move to Humberside, Liu stated that, like Daly Cherry-Evans, it was McNamara who sold him on the move.
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“I’m massively excited for what’s ahead,” he told the club website. “Me and my family are looking forward to a new journey.
“Steve McNamara was a key driving factor behind joining the club. I know Steve well from when we worked together at the Roosters, and we had some good conversations about how I can help get Hull FC back to where it needs to be.
“I’ve really enjoyed playing in England over the last couple of years. It’s different to Australia, but myself and the family have really embraced the culture and we’re looking forward to a new chapter over in Hull.
“Hopefully I can help inspire some of the young players by bringing my game and showing them how I operate. I hope I can help them take their own games to another level.”
Richie Myler Hull FC CEO and Director of Rugby, added: “Isaac is such an experienced player with great leadership qualities, and he will be a really important addition both on and off the field for us in 2027.
“He is a player who holds himself to a very high standard, and he expects everyone in the squad to uphold those standards on their part – I think that is going to be a really important asset for us.
“Steve [McNamara] knows him well from the time they spent together at the Roosters. He’s got a bit of versatility about him in terms of where he can play in the forward pack, so when the opportunity arose to bring Isaac to Hull for a year, it was one that we worked hard to get over the line.”
