Leigh Leopards coach ‘gaining support’ for top NRL coaching position

There is a swell of support building for Leigh Leopards coach Adrian Lam to be the man to lead the new NRL franchise in Papua New Guinea into the competition in 2028.

Lam is a national hero in PNG and is unquestionably one of the most successful Kumuls in history, forging a fine career as a player and a coach on both sides of the world.

Recent reports have linked both Wayne Bennett and current PNG national team coach Jason Demetriou to the role ahead of the franchise’s entry into the NRL in 2028.

But now, a fresh report from the Wide World of Sports has suggested that ‘senior figures’ leading the franchise want Lam to be the man that is given the huge honour of becoming its first coach.

The report says: “Officials feel having a national hero – which Lam is in the league-crazy country – would give the club a great start to life in the NRL.”

It would certainly be a big deal – and while it means Lam is being linked with an exit from the Leigh Sports Village, it would not be for at least another year or two.

In a similar theme to Bennett at the Dolphins and Mal Meninga at Perth ahead of their entry in 2027, any new head coach of the franchise would likely need a year at ground level to help build a squad.

With Papua New Guinea not coming in until 2028, Lam could hypothetically remain coaching in Super League with the Leopards until the end of next year, and spend 2027 building a squad.

Lam is actually contracted with Leigh until the end of 2027, and son Lachlan is expected to sign a new deal to keep him with the club beyond the end of this year, too.

That could dovetail into them both potentially returning to the NRL and being influential in the Kumuls’ new franchise.