{"id":590467,"date":"2025-11-24T09:03:15","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T09:03:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/590467\/"},"modified":"2025-11-24T09:03:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T09:03:15","slug":"leigh-leopards-star-sees-departure-confirmed-ahead-of-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/590467\/","title":{"rendered":"Leigh Leopards star sees departure confirmed ahead of 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont has confirmed the departure of versatile forward Alec Tuitavake ahead of the 2026 campaign.<\/strong><\/p>\n

24-year-old Tuitavake arrived at Leigh<\/a> last winter having joined from St George Illawarra Dragons\u2019, whose reserve side he had represented in the New South Wales Cup.<\/p>\n

His 54 games Down Under had all come at second-grade level having also represented the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles in the same competition, and the utility had not played at first-grade level.<\/p>\n

The Redfern native was touted by the Leopards as a \u2018direct Tom Amone replacement\u2019 in their press release announcing his signing, though many of his 24 appearances across all competitions in 2025 came in the back-row.<\/p>\n

Leigh Leopards owner confirms star\u2019s departure ahead of 2026 as contract cut short<\/p>\n

Tuitavake \u2013 who represented New South Wales at under-18s level during his youth career \u2013 notched three tries in a Leigh shirt.<\/p>\n

All three were scored across the last four games of the campaign: including one in their Super League<\/a> play-off eliminator tie at home against Wakefield Trinity.<\/p>\n

When Leigh signed Tuitavake, their press release stated he had penned a two-year deal. Amid rumours of his departure, owner Beaumont has confirmed it \u2013 but has suggested that the forward\u2019s contract was only ever inked on a one-year basis.<\/p>\n

\n

Alec has gone. Thankyou for everything Mr T! #leighleopards<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/4v2EiDtSpy<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 leythdave (@leythdave) November 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Replying to a comment underneath a Facebook post from DeBeau Performance, his new clothing brand which is producing all of the Leopards\u2019 gear for 2026, Beaumont said: \u201cAlec was on a one-year (deal) and has returned to Oz!<\/p>\n

\u201cAaron (Pene) has been very patient and professional during a tough time for him with his injures.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a right player on our hands who will be better for the off-season and pre-season, and is like a car with low mileage coming into a big season.<\/p>\n

\u201c(I\u2019m) looking forward to seeing him fully fit and at his best \ud83d\udcaa\u201d<\/p>\n

Notably, Beaumont deleted that comment not long after making it.<\/p>\n

But it would appear that Leigh have seen the last of Tuitavake, and if their initial press release was correct, his time at the club has been cut short by 12 months.<\/p>\n

A little over seven weeks on from their 2025 season ending with a defeat in the play-off semi-finals away against Wigan Warriors, the Leopards are yet to officially confirm any of their departures.<\/p>\n