Kori Barber and Alan Lantry have signed contracts with the Leigh East club to play in the National Conference League.

Ex-coach Todd Edwards got the two onto manager Steve Stone, who was seeking players interested in playing overseas.

Stone took videos of Barber and Lantry playing for Cessnock, which presented the pair with the offer of playing in the British competition.

Barber and Lantry have also been offered jobs in construction as well as work in the Leigh East Leagues Club.

Both played under-20s for the Newcastle Knights, as well as first grade consistently for Cessnock – Lantry for the past eight years and Barber for six.

Lantry, 26, started his junior years at Singleton, and came to Cessnock as a teenager to play for the Goannas.

He was selected in the 2014 Newcastle representative side for his performance with the Cessnock club.

Barber, 22, started playing rugby league in Cessnock when he was six, and has also played in the reserve side for the Newcastle Knights in the NSW Cup.

Both are excited to embark on their journey overseas, and see what comes of the season.

“[We were] after a new challenge,” Barber said.

“We were both offered good opportunities when we were younger, and we didn’t really take them.

“We want to take them now.”

“It’s a chance to do something different and also travel around the world,” Lantry added.

They are hoping that further opportunities in football might open up as a result, saying their goal is to “hopefully play the highest level we can.”

They would like to thank Edwards for putting them on to Stone, Cessnock Rugby League for supporting them over the years and Barber’s partner Elly Higgins who is relocating to England as well.