Leigh Leopards coach addresses forward’s form as improvement admission made
Alec Tuitavake warms up ahead of a Leigh Leopards game in 2025
Leigh boss Adrian Lam says Alec Tuitavake’s form ‘has improved’, but he remains in communication with the off-season recruit about his role in the Leopards side.
Redfern native Tuitavake penned a two-year deal at Leigh ahead of the 2025 campaign, making the move to Super League from Down Under.
The 24-year-old had never previously featured at first-grade level, but represented New South Wales at under-18s level and was billed by the Leopards as a ‘direct Tom Amone replacement’ in the press release which announced his arrival.
So far though, the prop has not shone regularly in a Leigh shirt, with just one of his first 19 appearances for the club seeing him start.
Leigh Leopards coach addresses forward’s form as improvement admission made
On Friday night, the Leopards came from behind late on to get the better of Warrington Wolves, securing a 20-16 win on home soil which sees them sit just one competition point behind second-placed Wigan Warriors on the Super League ladder.
Tuitavake came off the bench in place of Joe Ofahengaue six minutes into the second half, but was withdrawn and replaced again by the elder statesman just 17 minutes later, with that change helping to spark the comeback.
Post-match, head coach Lam addressed the forward’s form, saying: “I’m ongoing in communications with Alec’s role in the team, but he has improved.
“There wasn’t a plan for him to play less, (or) the minutes that he did, but the way that the game unfolded made that happen.
“There was no issues there, I didn’t have any issues with that.”
Tuitavake was joined on the bench on Friday evening by Ben McNamara, Matt Davis and fellow off-season recruit Andy Badrock.
Lam continued: “(Andy) Badrock only played seven or eight minutes as well, but everyone knows their role within the group.
“If Badrock hadn’t got on, I’m sure he would have understood as well, and I know Alec knows that as well.
“Having said that, I think those changes were on point considering what happened with the last part of the game.”
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