Former NRL winger Nene Macdonald has put pen to paper on a new contract with the Leigh Centurions.
The nine-time Papua New Guinean international, who played for the Sydney Roosters, Gold Coast Titans, St George Illawarra Dragons, North Queensland Cowboys and Cronulla Sharks across his 98-game NRL career, has barely featured at the top level of the Australian game since the end of 2018.
He played just five games in 2019 for the Cowboys, and two for the Sharks in 2020 before going uncontracted in 2021.
A one-year deal with the English club will give the veteran winger a chance to reinvent himself, and restart his career, with the 27-year-old believing he still has plenty to offer on the field.
“I’m super excited to have signed for Leigh Centurions and I can’t wait to get over and play," Macdonald said.
"I’ve heard such a lot of good things about the club and the community and all the people I’ve spoken to at the club have been really friendly and welcoming.
“I’m hoping to get over as soon as possible. Coming to live and play in the UK has long been an ambition of mine and this is the perfect opportunity for me.
“I’ve known (coach) Adrian Lam for a while now. He’s a legend in PNG and we’ve kept in touch over the years. He told me he wanted me to come over and having him at Leigh will make the transition easier."
Relegated from the Super League at the end of the 2021 season after a disastrous year, Leigh will be desperate for a return to the top flight in 2023, with their most likely rivals being the Featherstone Rovers, who have played in two promotion games in the last three years, but failed to crack the top flight.
Macdonald joins recent recruits Jai Whitbread and Sam Stone, as well as other international players Nathaniel Peteru and Blake Wallace at the club.