LEIGH boss John Duffy is celebrating a rare piece of good news that will pay dividends if Centurions ever receive the green light to resume a quest for Super League status.

Duffy’s promotion hopefuls and their Championship rivals won’t know until July 23 if they will be handed a meaningful return to action this year.

But one of the costly stumbling blocks to a resumption of the season now appears to have been removed.

Duffy has confirmed a drive-in coronavirus testing centre at Haydock Park racecourse has offered to screen his players for Covid-19 free of charge.

“It has been well documented how much testing was going to cost each club,” said Duffy.

“But we went to speak to the guy running the centre at Haydock and he said he would test the players at any time. I explained to him who we were and that we wanted to return to playing.

“We were keen to ask if it would impact on those they already had coming through such as frontline staff and the general public. But we were told we can come down and get tested providing every player doesn’t go down at the same time.

“That is a real coup for us especially having seen the prices that were coming through to the clubs.

“So, that information has been sent back to the RFL,” added Duffy who confirmed several other clubs had secured similar arrangements in Yorkshire.

“So, while that is sorted everything else is up in the air. I couldn’t believe they have still not made a decision on anything.

“It gets more frustrating by the day. Who knows what will come out next week, maybe another meeting! There have been that many proposals put forward we just need to make a decision.

“There is no one at ease at the minute. Normally, when it comes to players sorting out new deals, there is a bit of panic in August and September but it has started a bit earlier.

“Our players had started the season on fire so there is plenty of interest in them.” added Duffy.

Playmaker Ben Reynolds, for one, has been linked with Toulouse.

“There are a lot of rumours flying around but we are speaking to our full-time players who are all on one-year deals,” said Duffy.

“Clubs are making some good signings but we are making sure we do our bit in that way as well and are on the right track.”