PROP forward Dayne Weston is confident he will head home this autumn with Leigh still a Super League outfit.

But the popular Australian forward will not play any further part in the rest of the Centurions’ campaign.

Weston, 30, had scheduled Saturday’s trip to Catalans Dragons as the final game of his career.

Instead, the former Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panthers prop suffered knee ligament damage during last week’s 36-10 defeat at Widnes Vikings.

However, he has been asked to help out on Leigh’s back room staff for the remainder of his stay in the UK.

“The last thing I want to do is to leave knowing Leigh will be playing in the Championship again next year,” said Weston, Centurions’ multiple winning player of the season in 2016.

“They have their backs against the wall at the moment.

“But we have got the squad and once we realise what is on the line and how much we need this not just for the club but the town, we will be right.

“Even though I won’t be involved next year I have got a lot of good friends involved at Leigh and I only want the best for them.”

Weston made 43 appearances since joining Leigh for the 2016 campaign.

He signed a contract extension last August, tying him to the club until November 2019.

But earlier this season he announced this would be his last year, flying home for family reasons.

His retirement plans were recently brought forward and then changed again after Widnes.

“It’s disappointing to go out that way and it would have been nice to have played one final game.

“In some ways though I’ve been lucky,” he explained.

“I pretty much tore everything apart from my ACL which is the bad one.

“So, I don’t need surgery and I can get away with wearing a brace for a couple of months.

“The biggest thing for me is realising I will never play again.

“That’s something I will struggle with for a while.

“But I have got beautiful family supporting me and great friends here and back home supporting me.

“I have been fortunate to have done what I have done in my career.

“Last season was one of the better years of my career.

“The individual accolades I achieved last year were very important and I hold them close to my heart.

“The town of Leigh is also special and I will never forget my time here.

“But everything happens for a reason and last week was almost like it was meant to be.”

Leigh will be on a revenge mission in Perpignan this weekend having lost 37-26 when the sides met at Leigh Sports Village on April 7.

!The game marks Steve McNamara’s first at home since becoming Dragons’ head coach.