Hooker Kurt Baptiste has left to Canberra Raiders to join Super League club Leigh Centurions on a one-year deal.

The Papua New Guinea international played 56 matches for Canberra after joining the club in 2014, having started his NRL career at the Brisbane Broncos in 2011.

"Kurt's signature is a huge coup for the club," Leigh Centurions coach Neil Jukes said.

"On and off the field he will add great leadership values and bring the quality trends he has developed from two elite environments in the Broncos and the Raiders.

"His energy, control and running game will be infectious for the players around him and with the staff look forward to enhancing those skills further.

"He'll join up with the boys after the New Year and jump straight into our preparations for 2018."

Baptiste's exit follows the signing of fellow hookers Craig Garvey and Siliva Havili, who are set to battle for the No.9 jersey at the start of the season after first-choice rake Josh Hodgson suffered a knee injury at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

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