Leigh Leopards are delighted to confirm that Ryan Brown has extended his contract with the club.
The 21-year-old prop joined the Leopards from Wigan Warriors at the end of the 2024 season and has continued his development during his time at the club, gaining valuable experience across the professional game before making his Super League debut this year.
A Warrington-born England Academy international, Brown came through Wigan’s scholarship and academy system, signing scholarship forms with the Warriors in 2019 before representing England Academy against France in 2023.
He gained valuable first-team experience during 2024, making three appearances for Midlands Hurricanes on dual registration and playing 11 Championship games for Barrow Raiders during an extended loan spell.
Brown returned to Barrow for the 2025 season alongside Kavan Rothwell, where he became one of the Raiders’ standout players before beginning the 2026 campaign with Salford Red Devils on a short-term loan.
He made his Leigh debut against Catalans Dragons this season and has gone on to make eight Super League appearances for the Leopards, alongside further loan spells with Barrow Raiders, Widnes Vikings and Salford.
Reflecting on his first taste of Super League and extending his stay at Leigh, Brown said: “I’m buzzing. I love it here, I love all the boys and the coaching staff.
“Looking back on the year, I’ve had a good year. I’ve had my first taste of Super League and it’s made me hungry and I want more.”
Head Coach Adrian Lam is excited to see what Brown can achieve after his first taste of Super League.
“It’s brilliant for the club to have extended Ryan’s contract. He’s a very exciting young prospect with a very high ceiling.
“He’s one of the nicest guys off the field, but when he crosses that line there’s a lot of fight in him and I think that’s going to be part of what makes him a top middle.
“He saw a lot of opportunity this season because of a really bad injury crisis at the club and never let me down. Had he not joined the list of injured players, he would have made a lot more appearances, but I’m really excited for Ryan next season and beyond.”
Director of Rugby Andrew Henderson believes Brown has the qualities required to continue developing into an important member of the Leigh squad.
“We are pleased that Ryan has committed his future to Leigh Leopards. He is a young player with tremendous potential, and securing talented, ambitious individuals like Ryan is an important part of building sustained success for this club.
“Since coming into our environment, Ryan has shown all the qualities we look for in a young player. He works hard, he’s eager to learn, and he approaches his development with a real professionalism beyond his years. Those attributes give him an excellent platform to continue progressing.
“What has impressed us most is his attitude. Ryan understands that development is a journey, and he is committed to doing the little things well every day. As a club, we’re passionate about creating opportunities for young players, and we believe Ryan has the talent and character to make the most of those opportunities.
“This re-signing is another positive step for both Ryan and the club. We’re excited to continue supporting his development and look forward to watching him grow into an important member of our squad in the years ahead.”
Brown’s progression has seen him take another important step in his development this season, gaining his first experience of Super League while continuing to build on the experience he gained during his spells in the Championship.
With his first Super League season now under his belt, Brown will head into 2027 hungry to build on that experience and make an even greater contribution to the Leopards.
