Grim Leigh injury update delivered as ‘likely’ season-ending Tesi Niu blow revealed

Leigh Leopards expect to be without Tesi Niu for the remainder of the season through a ruptured Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) suffered at Magic Weekend, with that the headline on a number of fresh blows.

Centre Niu was forced off early in the second half during Leigh’s win against Warrington Wolves at the Hill Dickinson Stadium last Saturday evening following a hip drop tackle on him from Sam Powell.

That incident saw Powell sin-binned and eventually banned for three games by the Match Review Panel (MRP) come Monday afternoon.

But it ultimately looks likely to have ended Niu’s season prematurely.

Tesi Niu’s season believed to be over

Having won eight of their last ten games to move on to the cusp of the Super League play-offs, Leigh are back in action on Saturday afternoon as they return home for the first time in seven weeks, hosting strugglers Castleford Tigers.

Speaking in Wednesday afternoon’s pre-match press conference, head coach Lam explained: “Tesi Niu, that’s long-term.

“We all know he’s hurt his knee there through that incident and it looks at the moment that he’s ruptured his MCL and there’s a fair bit of damage to his cartilage.

“We’ll get to the bottom of what exactly the timeframe will be there, but it could be the rest of the season.

“Sadly, it looks like it’s going to be an incident that puts the player out for the rest of the season.

“It’s sad, Tesi’s been unbelievable since coming back for us, I know how inspirational he’s been for us as a team.

“Both him and Umyla (Hanley) are finally back in the side playing as two of the in-form centres in the competition, we’re going to miss him but we’re going to have to power on.

“David (Armstrong) is fine. I think he just got a poke in the eye, and his vision was blurry, but he’s all good now.

“Josh Charnley will return (from injury), so too will Jack Hughes from a three-week suspension. And there’s the inclusion of our new recruit, Lazarus Vaalepu.

“He (Vaalepu) has been good, he’s a big body and a point of difference for us. He’s slipped straight into training, and I’m excited to get some work done with him.

“It’s business as usual, trying to get him up to speed of who we are as a club and it looks like he’ll fit in really well.”

Leigh injury update as further blows suffered

The Leopards were victorious at Magic Weekend, but their success on Merseyside has come at a big cost, with further blows suffered alongside Niu’s season-ender.

Lam detailed: “There’s a fair bit of information.

“Some issues firstly from last week’s game. We’ll give Robbie Mulhern and Aaron Pene up until Captain’s run to be available, but both of those have got niggling calves and achilles (problems).

“Aaron was fit to play last week, but he’s had a niggling injury for a couple of weeks now. It’s just one we’ve got to stay on top of, but he’s on a week-to-week basis at the moment. It doesn’t look good at the moment, but we’ll give him up until Saturday.

“(Joe) Ofahengaue has got a calf strain/tear, and that’s going to be two or three weeks for him.

“Jacob (Alick-Wiencke) has got an MCL strain as well, so he’s three weeks, with last week being the first week.

“He’ll probably miss Castleford and Hull FC away, and then probably be available for Warrington back here (at the Leopards’ Den). He’s another one on our injured list.”

“AJ Towse is back on the field and training, but he’s still four or five weeks away, and Keanan (Brand) is six plus.

“I’m grateful Josh (Charnley) is back this week.”

Lam’s side need to win by 31 points on Saturday afternoon against the Tigers if they are to, at least temporarily, move into the top six. St Helens, who currently occupy sixth spot, host Toulouse Olympique on Sunday afternoon.

The Papua New Guinean continued: “I think it’s good timing for (Jack Hughes) to come back, and Josh Charnley, and Lazarus is in the squad.

“It certainly lifts the forward pack, and we’re going to need them. If Robbie (Mulhern) doesn’t play, or Aaron (Pene) or Joffa (Joe Ofahengaue), that’s a big loss for us as a club.

“We just have to hang together over the next three or four weeks to get through this period and hope some luck comes our way for the rest of the season.”

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