Leigh Leopards coach confirms Darnell McIntosh prognosis as full injury update provided ahead of Wigan Warriors opener

Leigh Leopards boss Adrian Lam has confirmed that utility back Darnell McIntosh will miss around a month of the new season having suffered a Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) injury.

McIntosh joined Leigh from fellow Super League outfit Hull FC last April as part of a swap deal which saw veteran winger Tom Briscoe head the other way.

The 27-year-old featured 16 times across all competitions for the Leopards before the end of 2024, scoring five tries and kicking 11 goals.

Having been omitted from Leigh’s squads for both their pre-season friendly at Warrington Wolves and Challenge Cup Third Round tie against Workington Town, he’s also not included in Lam’s 21-man list for Thursday’s Super League opener at Wigan.

Leigh Leopards coach confirms Darnell McIntosh prognosis as full injury update provided ahead of Wigan Warriors opener

Head coach Lam spoke to the media – including LoveRugbyLeague – on Wednesday morning, and during the pre-match press conference, he explained McIntosh’s absence.

The Papua New Guinean detailed: “Darnell McIntosh is really the only one that was in our team last year that won’t be involved in Round 1.

He is probably about a month away from being away.

“He did his PCL during our (pre-season) camp in Lanzarote in January.”

Elsewhere, the trio of Josh Charnley, Robbie Mulhern and Edwin Ipape have all been missing throughout pre-season with different injuries.

All three have been named in Lam’s 21 for the trip across the borough, going in search of a first away win against Wigan since August 1983.

And while the boss detailed that late calls would be made on both Charnley and Mulhern, there was more positive news on Kumuls ace Ipape, who had rotator cuff surgery during the off-season so missed PNG’s autumn Pacific Championships campaign.

Lam said: “There’s a couple of niggles there with players like Josh Charnley and Robbie Mulhern, who we’ll make a call on between now and gameday as to whether they’ll be a part of the starting 13, the 17, or not play at all.

“Edwin’s been named in the extended squad and we’ll probably have a decision made today by the close of business, but he’s more than likely going to play.

“He’s a big personality and a big player for us, and he gives us a different dimension as a team when he’s involved in the 17.

“That’s looking like it’s going to be 100 per cent.”