Leigh Leopards are delighted to confirm that Umyla Hanley has signed a two-year contract extension until the end of the 2026 season.
The 22-year-old winger has scored ten tries already this season including back-to-back hat-tricks against Featherstone Rovers and Salford Red Devils.
Leopards Head of Rugby Chris Chester said: “Umyla has been outstanding this year and it’s very exciting to have the prospect of watching his development at close quarters.
“In his first year at our club in 2023 he found his opportunities limited due to the great form of Josh Charnley and Tom Briscoe.
“Umyla came back on the first day of pre-season with a great attitude and was one of our pre-eminent trainers over the winter. He’s now reaping the rewards of all that hard work.
“Umyla is a confident player who is deriving great benefit from an extended run in the side.
“He’s got great footwork, good hands, he’s strong, athletic, agile, and elusive and he does the hard work out of yardage. He’s shown he’s a great finisher, but his work-rate is a big factor in his game as well.
“Umyla got his opportunity when Tom Briscoe, who was ever present last season, was injured in the second game. He’s taken that chance with both hands and produced some consistent performances.
“It’s very pleasing that Umyla feels his future lies at the Leopards Den. We have first-class coaching and backroom staff and it’s a great environment for him to see how far he can go in the game. He’s already a very good player but I feel there is a lot more to come from him.”
Umyla Hanley said: “I’m made up to re-sign at Leigh, and I can’t thank the staff and the lads enough.
“This is like my second family and I’m looking forward to making more memories with them on the pitch and to bringing more success to this great club.”
Hanley came through the academy ranks at Wigan Warriors, making his first team debut in 2020 and famously scoring a hat-trick against the then Leigh Centurions at the DW Stadium in August 2021. But he played only one more game for Wigan after that and took the opportunity to move to Leigh at the end of the following season.
Umyla is sponsored by Advanced Steel Services.
