The Newcastle Knights have agreed to part company amicably with David Armstrong and have not closed the door on him potentially returning to the club in the future.
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Armstrong, the flying fullback who scored five tries in five NRL games earlier in the season, is set to join English Super League club Leigh Leopards on a three-year deal.
It is understood the 23-year-old had twice agreed to terms with Newcastle on a two-season offer before having a change of heart and deciding he wanted to pursue the more lucrative, longer tenure in England.
Knights officials gave him a week to think it over, and when he remained adamant that his preferred option was Super League, they wished him all the best in his new venture.
"Whilst we're disappointed with the final decision and how the negotiations unfolded, Davey will leave here with no animosity from us," Knights football director Peter Parr said.
"He's only a young man and he may well end up coming back here in the future.
"We wish him all the best and we hope that if he comes back to the NRL, it will be as a Newcastle Knight."
Replacing injured skipper Kalyn Ponga, Armstrong helped Newcastle to wins in his first four NRL games, culminating in him scoring a hat-trick against Gold Coast.
But he crashed to earth with some fumbles and missed tackles in Newcastle's 32-2 loss to Canterbury, and was rested for the subsequent clash with Melbourne because of a quadriceps strain.
That allowed Cessnock's Fletcher Sharpe to make his NRL debut, and like Armstrong, he marked the occasion with a try.
Sharpe scored again the following week against Penrith, while Armstrong has scored three tries in two NSW Cup games, one of which was a 95-metre runaway.
Ponga is still recovering from surgery to repair a foot tendon but will almost certainly be reinstated as fullback once he is cleared to resume.
The Leopards, coached by former Queensland Origin halfback Adrian Lam, are currently ninth in the 12-team Super League. Their squad includes former NRL players Matt Moylan, Ricky Leutele, Lachlan Lam and John Asiata.
