English centre Oliver Gildart has confirmed his switch back to the Super League, signing on with the Leigh Leopards in an immediate switch.
Leigh, who were formerly known as the Centurions, were promoted back to the top flight of English rugby league last year after winning the Championship.
Gildart has been in the NRL since making the switch ahead of the 2022 season where he joined the Wests Tigers. While he showed promise early on, the 26-year-old was loaned out to the Sydney Roosters at the back end of last year and then moved to the NRL's newest franchise the Dolphins this year.
He is yet to make it onto an NRL field this year though, instead plying his trade through the QLD Cup and it has been reported for some time that he would be back in England next year.
Playing just ten NRL games, Gildart is a former Wigan Warrior, having played 142 games for the club before making the eventual switch to Australia.
His immediate exit from the Dolphins on a contract through to the end of the season will see him join Adrian Lam's side and likely claim a spot in the centres immediately where he will take the spot of former Cronulla Shark Ricky Leutele, who has been ruled out for the season injured.
“Having received the bad news about Ricky it was important that we quickly brought in someone else of quality into the club before the signing deadline,” head of rugby at the club Chris Chester said in a statement.
“Oliver is a top-class English centre who has represented his country and although contracted elsewhere for 2024 he is fully committed to helping Leigh Leopards achieve their goals this season.
“Adrian coached him at Wigan Warriors and knows him very well and he's really excited to be working with him again.
“Oliver will be available for selection for the Betfred Super League Round 21 game at Leeds Rhinos next Sunday.
“I'd like to thank once again our club owner Derek (Beaumont) for his continued fantastic support in helping us bring in Oliver and also Oliver's agent Liam Ayoub for his assistance in this move.”
