Leigh Leopards injury round-up as Warrington Wolves friendly defeat proves costly

Leigh Leopards appeared to suffer four fresh injury blows during Friday night’s pre-season friendly against Warrington Wolves.

Just two weeks out from the start of the new Super League season, Leigh made the short trip to the Halliwell Jones Stadium for what has become an annual friendly against Wire.

The Leopards were narrowly beaten 16-12, but while there are positives to take from elements of their performance, in particular the second half, the main concern now will be around their treatment room becoming a whole lot busier.

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Leigh Leopards injury round-up as Warrington Wolves friendly defeat proves costly

Before the first half was out in Cheshire, head coach Adrian Lam lost both Umyla Hanley and Joe Ofahengaue to injury.

Veteran prop Ofahengaue was the first to leave the action, forced off 23 minutes in following big hits on him in quick succession from Liam Byrne and Luke Yates.

That wasn’t officially announced as a HIA interchange, but appeared to be one on the face of it, and the front-rower never returned.

If it was a failed HIA, he will definitely sit out of Leigh’s trip to North Wales Crusaders in the Third Round of the Challenge Cup next weekend.

Hanley then departed soon after, holding onto his arm as he made his way off the field, and he too wasn’t seen again.

Just after the hour-mark, when Leigh had come from 10-0 down to lead 12-10, they lost utility Matt Davis to a foot/ankle problem. He was immediately withdrawn when the medical staff got a look at the problem, and needed help from them to make way.

Rounding off the quartet of concerns, Liam Horne’s unofficial debut for the Leopards ended as he put a huge hit in on Wire teenager Tommy Rhodes but came off worse.

Rhodes bounced back up to play a pivotal role in what turned out to be the winning try as Papua New Guinean Horne was left in a daze on the ground. He was brought off as the conversion was taken, and further information is awaited.

Leopards boss Lam did not carry out media duties post-match, but will speak to the press on Wednesday afternoon during the Super League season launch in Manchester, providing all goes to plan.

Leigh were already without both Robbie Mulhern and Isaac Liu on Friday night, and may now have four more men on the sidelines.