Leigh Leopards coach fires warning shot following Edwin Ipape contract extension

Leigh boss Adrian Lam insists Edwin Ipape’s bumper contract extension with the club comes with a warning to other clubs that the Leopards’ stars won’t be taken from the club easily.

Papua New Guinea star Ipape has been a Leigh player since 2022, among the first crop of players brought to the club by head coach Lam.

Prior to Sunday’s 24-10 win against Huddersfield Giants, the Leopards’ Den crowd were treated to the news that the hooker – who had been off-contract – had signed a club record six-year deal.

That extension takes him up until the end of the 2031 campaign, and comes with Ipape having ignored interest from both sides of the globe.

Leigh Leopards coach fires warning shot following Edwin Ipape contract extension

Speaking post-match on Sunday, the Leopards boss said: “I think it’s a sign to everyone that you can’t just come here and pinch our players any more.

“We’re a club that you want to stay at and remain at, and the message goes out to other players that if you want to come here and you think you’re good enough, come!

“I’m very glad that Edwin has made the decision to stay, and it’s a massive sign to everyone that we’re heading in the right direction as a club.

“(Tying down other off-contract stars), that’s the focus at the moment.

“I think there’s only one player still here that was here when I first got here. We’ve had a habit of rotating the squad quite aggressively since I got here, but we’re getting to where we need to get to now.

“There’ll probably be some more changes at the end of this year, but we’ll build around a particular group of men here, be aggressive in that particular area and moving forward as a club.”

‘It’s unbelievable news that we’ve got to keep him… there were a couple of Super League clubs that came in really aggressively for him’

Sydney Roosters were the frontrunners for Ipape’s signature Down Under, with plenty of interest also there from fellow Super League clubs.

And, of course, Papua New Guinea’s NRL franchise will be up and running by 2028 – with suggestions before Sunday’s announcement that the hooker could well be interested in becoming a part of that.

But the Mount Hagen native – whose cap tally for his native country is now in double figures – has put to bed any of those concerns, with Lam continuing: “There were clubs interested in taking him at the end of the year, for sure.

“He’d obviously have to take that (PNG franchise) into consideration about his future and what he wants, but I know he’s happy here at the club.

“Derek and the board and the staff have looked after him really well during his time here.

“He loves the place, with the crowd, and we’ve created some wild memories together as a group.

“He doesn’t want to go anywhere, and it’s unbelievable news that we’ve got to keep him, because I know there were a couple of Super League clubs that came in really aggressively for him.

“We’re just pleased that he’s in our team doing the damage rather than another doing the reverse.

“He’s over the moon, it’s probably going to be the rest of his career here now, which is good. There might be time after that, but he’s certainly deserved and earned it.

“He’s come a long way too, going from the highlands of Papua New Guinea to getting a six-year contract at Leigh and securing his future here. I’m very pleased for him and his family.”

‘Great news for everyone involved with rugby league’

Leigh’s announcement of Ipape’s extension came out of the blue, with very little talk around a potential deal being struck throughout the week.

It came as part of the club’s ‘The Greatest Show in Super League’ bonanza leading up to the clash with the Giants.

Having tied down one of Super League’s finest talents, Lam added: “It’s great news for the club and great news for the town. Great news for the fans and everyone involved with rugby league, I think!

“Just to keep him here in Super League and at our club… there was a lot of interest from the NRL and from other Super League clubs as well, so it’s a major coup for us to be able to build our future around players like Edwin. I’m very excited.

“He’s got better every year, and he’s a player that is important to our town, our club and his team-mates.

“They understand how much of an inspiration he is, and his signing will certainly lift the place.”