Hull Live reported on Friday afternoon that Asiata has signed a three-year deal with the Black and Whites from the 2025 season, who are understood to have agreed a marquee salary of over £200,000 for the player.
Adrian Lam believes John Asiata’s decision to sign for Hull FC is a financial one but insists there are no ‘harsh feelings’ between the Leigh Leopards club and their current captain.
The signing was confirmed by the club soon after, with Lam, who is also out of contract at the end of the season, commenting on Asiata’s move after Saturday’s 28-28 draw with Castleford Tigers.
“I love John, the club loves him, the fans love him, he loves the club, he loves everything about this place,” Lam stated. “During his tenure here, he has contributed nothing less than outstanding work to our club.
“I believe he made a financial decision based on what’s best for him and his family going forward, and we should give him credit for that.” We move on from it, accepting it for what it is. We will lose our captain, but that may also be an opportunity for us to grow.
“John is an important member of our team, and we will always be grateful for what he did for us as the captain when we won the Challenge Cup last year. There are no negative emotions there.
Owner Derek Beaumont of Leigh disclosed that the Leythers’ inability to match Hull’s three-year offer was due to Asiata’s recent injuries. Hull had first presented a one-year offer before raising it to two. They were preparing to go three years, with Asiata—now thirty-one and a current member of the Super League Dream Team—missing four to six weeks due to a hamstring injury. Asiata and Leigh won the Challenge Cup together last season.
“John’s pulled out of the game because he’s had a strain to his hamstring,” Lam said. That’s not ideal for us because he’ll be out for four to six weeks with it. He’ll recover here, become ready, and return to lead the team when he’s ready.
