Leigh Leopards receive double injury boost ahead of Batley Bulldogs tie as Robbie Mulhern prognosis confirmed

Aaron Pene and Darnell McIntosh will return from injury for Leigh this weekend, while Robbie Mulhern could be set for another month on the sidelines, Leopards boss Adrian Lam has confirmed. 

The Leopards, who remain unbeaten in Super League this season following last week’s 22-22 draw at Hull FC, host Championship side Batley Bulldogs in the Fourth Round of the Challenge Cup on Sunday afternoon.

Victory would see Lam’s side progress into the quarter-finals of a competition they triumphed in back in 2023, and would them to within two wins of a Wembley return.

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Leigh Leopards receive double injury boost ahead of Batley Bulldogs tie

The only known absentees prior to Thursday afternoon’s pre-Batley press conference were Josh Charnley, Ben Nakubuwai, Frankie Halton and Gaz O’Brien – who failed a HIA during that draw at Hull.

There is mixed news on the injury front for the Leopards, with Lam detailing: “Gaz O’Brien with his failed HIA will miss this week, but that’ll give Ben McNamara an opportunity there.

“Gaz has responded well, and his return to training has been really good. He’s an absolute beast, Gaz. His health and wellbeing is the priority, but he’s likely to play against Hull KR away (next week).

“Aaron Pene is going to be considered this week, and Darnell (McIntosh) too.

“Both of those players are in with a good chance of playing, so they’ll come in to that 17 and possibly the 13.

“We’ve got to give players like Alec Tuitavake, who has got a bit of a foot injury and has had for a couple of weeks, right up until captain’s run.

“He’s possibly going to miss out because we want to make sure that everyone we pick this weekend is 100% right.”

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Robbie Mulhern prognosis confirmed

Star prop Mulhern was forced off in the first half of Leigh’s victory against Catalans Dragons in Round 3 of the Super League season with a calf issue, and didn’t feature against Hull last week.

Lam hasn’t been able to provide a timeframe for the forward’s return until now, explaining: “He’s got a grade 2 tear in his calf, so he’ll be out for anywhere between four and seven weeks from when he did it.

“I think this is week three coming up now.

“Frankie Halton’s ahead of time, he’s probably two or three weeks away, and then Josh (Charnley) is probably around the same time as Robbie.”

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