TONY HAND is “confident” he has signed a quality centre to replace Greg Wood.

The 24-year-old has intimated he does not want to return after two years at Phoenix.

It is believed Wood is on his way to Sheffield Steeldogs – his home-town club.

But while Phoenix have yet to announce any signings for next season Phoenix player-coach Hand did say: “I’m pretty confident I’ve signed a top class British centre new to the team.”

The Steeldogs have also been linked to Phoenix defencemen Ben Morgan, who is based in Sheffield and Pavel Gomeniuk, who lives in Hull.

Hand said: “Players decide to go for different reasons. It could be they have got a job, it could be for university or it could be to be nearer home.

“It happens every season but a lot of our young guys are coming back and I’m confident we’ll be a better team next season.

“We won’t sit back because we want to get stronger.”

Hand has said he’s still interested in re-signing top goal-scorer Marcus Kristoffersson.

But he added: “You can’t sign all your team in April.

“Some of the best players don’t always come available until July or late August.

“Most of my best signings have been done late on. Just look at Joe Talari, David Beauregard, Kristoffersson and Johan Molin.”