“There’s a clear vision” Adrian Lam maps out Leigh’s long-term ambitions

Leigh coach Adrian Lam insists the Leopards have a clear, long-term vision which includes growing all areas of the club – both on and off the field.

The Papua New Guinean took over the head coaching reins at Leigh ahead of the 2022 campaign following a three-year spell across the borough with Wigan.

Lam had to practically build his side from scratch with Leigh only having a handful of players signed on when he arrived.

The Leopards invested heavily in to their recruitment and it paid off, with them winning promotion back to Super League at the first time of asking following their relegation in 2021.

Lam revealed he was actually going to go back to the NRL following his time with Wigan before getting a phone call from the Leopards hierarchy.

He said: “At the end of my time at Wigan at the end of 2021, I was actually going back to the NRL to be part of that but when I spoke to Chris Chester (head of rugby) and the vision he sold me with Derek Beaumont (owner) and Neil Jukes (chief executive) with what they had here certainly turned my head and made me think that maybe we could do this with that financial backing.

“I’ve been working hard with Chris Chester, who has been great for the group.

“I’ve got a two-year contract at the moment. The first year was about getting promoted and we did that quite convincingly I thought last year.

“We were certainly the best side during the season and scored points that we’d never done before. I then re-signed for two years since so I’m here for this year and then next year.”

Adrian Lam: The club is heading in the right direction

The Leopards have enjoyed an impressive start to life back in Super League, winning five from 10 games so far, sitting just outside the play-off places.

Lam says the club are now working towards a long-term strategy, and is heading in the right direction.

He added: “From talking to Derek, Chris and Neil about where we want to go as a group, if you look at all the entertainment off the field for the Leigh Leopards, it is heading in the right direction with the fans and my job is to make sure we keep improving and developing the group.

“I’m excited to build this group to get to where we want to be, there’s a clear vision of where we want to go to – it is going to take three or four years.

“I’m really enjoying my time here and we are building something really special, so it is important that we keep working hard collectively as a group.

“We’ve got to keep developing the current players but also adding to it with talent every week, every month, every year, for the next couple of years so we can get to where we eventually want to be.”

Growing all areas

With the introduction of IMG, each and every professional rugby league club are noticeably upping their game, whether it be digital engagement and marketing, to improvements of facilities and further inclusivity with the introduction of more teams like women’s, academies, LDRL and PDRL.

Lam added: “It is important for us as a club to grow all areas.

“One is the women’s team which we’ve got now.

“We’ve got a small scholarship group of players leading in to an academy so that’s all part what we don’t have at the moment.

“For us to be the club we desire to be, that means also getting a bigger squad that we are continuing to manage and develop and grow.

“We’re heading in the right direction as a group and a club so they are promising things we are looking forward to.

“We haven’t had an academy here for years, we’ve lost some of our great juniors to some of the other big clubs around us so we’ve got to make sure we maintain that and keep growing as each year progresses.”

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