SUPER LEAGUE XXIX PREVIEW -LEIGH

Adrian Lam tells STEPHEN IBBETSON what’s next for fast-moving Leigh Leopards.

LITTLE old Leigh have come a long way in two short years.

When Adrian Lam took over as their head coach at the end of 2021, they were bruised from Super League relegation and had only half a dozen players on their books.

Now they are Challenge Cup holders and a play-off team capable of attracting sell-out crowds to Leigh Sports Village.

It’s mightily impressive progress by all at the club, especially brash owner Derek Beaumont, CEO Neil Jukes, head of rugby Chris Chester, and Lam himself.

But all the talk is of a five-year plan, with Leigh not yet being even halfway there.

Now that they have established themselves at the top level, the next step is the foundations: further investment off the field, plus the establishment of their own development set-up.

They are aiming for Grade A, and aiming for the very top of Super League - it’s not-so-little Leigh now.

“It’s been probably one of the highlights of my life so far, because of the things we’ve achieved in the time we’ve been here,” says Lam.

That includes blitzing the Championship - scoring over 1,400 points in the process - winning the 1895 Cup, claiming the club’s first piece of major silverware in 41 years at Wembley, and reaching the Super League play-offs.

And it’s the development of a team capable of doing all that which has given Lam most pride in his time with Leigh to date.

“In twelve months in the Championship, we won everything (1895 Cup, League Leaders’ Shield and Grand Final), which we had never done before,” he says.

“At one stage, back in Super League, everyone was talking about the relegation zone. We spoke really early about the fact that everybody would be doubting us, but that we were in control of our destiny.