DASHING young winger Eric Andrews has joined the growing exodus from the JJB Stadium to Hilton Park.
Andrews, 19, is Wigan Warriors top try scorer at Alliance level this season but he sees his long-term career future with Leigh Centurions by agreeing a deal this week.
Andrews joins former Warriors team-mates Andy Isherwood, Rob Ball and Danny Turner who have all joined the Centurions in recent weeks.
Leigh's head coach Paul Terzis, back from a fact-finding holiday in Australia, is delighted he's got Andrews on board.
"We've been chasing him for quite sometime," he says. "We were determined to persuade him to come to Leigh and happily things have now been sorted out.
"He's scored something like 28 tries in all competitions for Wigan's Alliance team this season.
Great speed
"He's got exceptional footwork and great speed. Eric will give us greater firepower out wide and if he scores his usual 28 tries to go with Neil Turley's usual 56, then we'll have quite a potent strikeforce!"
Leigh are also talking to another outside back from Wigan, Chris Irwin, as well as considering looking at a couple of players from relegated Huddersfield Giants.
"One player we've spoken to already is front rower Richard Marshall," reveals Terzis. "He's a handy lad, quite young and lives in Lowton. He would replace Tim Street very nicely."
Leigh's other front row target, Castleford's Darren Shaw, is likely to stay in Super League by joining Salford.
Terzis would also like to talk to Huddersfield's former Leigh hooker Paul Rowley. "It would all come down to finance and I think there might be other clubs out there with more financial clout than Leigh," he says.
Terzis received more good news this week when Samoan half-back Willie Swann agreed to another one-year deal to stay with the Centurions. The Leigh boss is also confident of re-signing Liam Bretherton. More talks between the two were planned for yesterday (Wednesday).
Welsh international back-rower Chris Morley has also pledged his immediate future to Leigh. Morley has started a joinery business which could affect his rugby career but, according to Terzis, Morley will give Leigh 100 per cent for at least one more season.
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