Leigh Leopards boss identifies ‘defining moment’ for Adam Cook as half-back’s form lauded

Leigh Leopards head coach Adrian Lam has lauded the recent form of half-back Adam Cook following a string of impressive displays amid the club’s charge for the play-offs. 

Cook endured a tough start to his time in Super League following his off-season switch from NRL side Canberra Raiders, but is now among the competition’s form half-backs.

Leigh have felt the benefit of Cook’s upturn in form, winning eight of their last ten games to soar into the top six and push for a top-four finish for the second year running.

Currently level on points with fourth-placed Wakefield Trinity, if the Leopards – who travel to Huddersfield Giants on Thursday night – can break into the top four, they’ll earn themselves a home tie in the first week of the play-offs.

‘Long may it continue’

Cook has grabbed three tries in his last six outings, including two last weekend alongside 11 goals as Leigh thumped Bradford Bulls 62-10 to record their biggest-ever Super League win.

While the Australian’s recent performances might suggest a change in his game, boss Lam feels that his settling into life at the Leopards and in the UK is the secret behind it.

“I thought it would take him around 12 weeks, as it does with players in key positions, and was nearly right on the day that he came good; I was right again with that!” quipped the head coach.

“I’m grateful that he’s adapted really well, has the respect of the team and is becoming influential in our results. Long may it continue.

“When we identified him, he showed signs of the type of half that I love and would work in with Lachie’s strengths; they both have slightly different game sense.

“But when a player first arrives, just with the weather, it’s wet and cold when they first arrive and then the game changes as the season goes along. Then on top of that, you’ve got to learn the different structures and patterns of the team and fit in as a person; that usually takes three months.

“A defining moment for him was at Catalans when we won there. His influence on that game was next level, and from that moment he’s grown into one of the top running halves in Super League.

“The best is still to come from him and there’s still a lot there; I’m looking forward to that.

‘They’ve gotten better as each week’s gone on’

As boss Lam alluded to, Cook’s partnership with half-back partner Lachlan Lam has also been one of the driving forces behind Leigh’s rise up the table, and he gave an insight into how that combination has developed across the season.

“His combination with Lachlan Lam is one of the best halves combinations in the competition at the moment,” he said.

“It’s good that the timing of it is at the end of the year, and I’m excited about what they can bring together over the next few years, along with Davie Armstrong, Edwin Ipape and Liam Horne.

“We have a lot of meetings between them (Cook and Lam) with me. There’s a lot of education and understanding game sense.

“But you’ve also got to go and get it in the game; you can’t allow the game to pass by without your input on it. I judge them quite heavily on that. We play a really aggressive style with the ball and those two are in charge of that, and I think they’ve gotten better as each week’s gone on.

“Adam’s won some Man of the Matches and made some Team of the Weeks, and with that comes confidence. I know he’s a tough kid and defensively has been very physical as well so it’s not just been one side of the ball, but on the back of that he also has the responsibilities of goal-kicking and it helps when he’s on with that.

“But the most important thing is how he’s built that combination with Lachie Lam.”

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