Leigh ratings as Leopards fail to deliver in Wakefield Trinity defeat

Leigh are now winless in three Super League outings after being beaten 40-14 by newly-promoted Wakefield Trinity at the Leopards’ Den on Friday night.

Live from the press box, here are our Leopards ratings…

David Armstrong – 4

Not Armstrong’s night, at all. He helped to hold Caleb Uele up over the line early on in the first half, but that was about as a good as it got. A couple of knock ons either side of half-time prefaced a pass straight into the arms of Tom Johnstone to run the length and score under the posts.

Bailey Hodgson – 5

Everything Leigh did well in attack went down the other flank. Hodgson didn’t really have a sniff. In large parts, that wasn’t through his own doing, we should add.

Tesi Niu – 5

A similar story for Niu who was never really able to get the ball in hand and get at full flight. His knock on 12 minutes in led to Wakefield’s second try.

Umyla Hanley – 7

Hanley was a bright spark for Leigh, as he has been for most of this season. He took his try excellently, and then put a huge hit on a Trinity attacker a few minutes later. There was also a nice assist for Keanan Brand before the first half was out. Not as involved in the second 40.

Keanan Brand – 7

As we’ve already mentioned, it was Leigh’s right edge which proved more fruitful, and Brand took his try very well. One of the few that looked lively whenever he got the chance to have a run.

Gareth O’Brien – 5

O’Brien had a very quiet evening, but looked unfortunate to be denied a try in the first half when he had looked to have grounded it. Johnstone’s second intercept try came from his loose pass. 1/3 with the boot, which didn’t help the Leopards’ cause.

Lachlan Lam – 6

Half-back partner Lam wasn’t a great deal better, but he was more lively. A nice assist for Frankie Halton from the Papua New Guinea international, though a poor knock on followed soon after. Probably a 6.5, but we don’t do half marks.

Owen Trout – 5

There was one huge hit from Trout in the first half, but not much beyond that by way of notable moments. An improvement from his showing against Hull KR last weekend, but still left wanting more from the big man.

Brad Dwyer – 6

Dwyer offered a lively presence in his two stints on the field, but wasn’t really ever able to carve open the Trinity defence.

Jack Hughes – 4

Started and did a 24-minute stint where there wasn’t much wrong, but there wasn’t really a notable moment either. Didn’t return after that, not sure whether it was injury related or not.

Frankie Halton – 6

Halton’s return will be warmly welcomed by all of a Leopards persuasion, and he tried to get them on the front foot throughout, but to no avail. In the right place at the right time for his try.

Ethan O’Neill – 6

We’ve seen a lot better from O’Neill this season, but he wasn’t among Leigh’s worst performers on the night. Like back-row partner Halton, the effort was there, it just didn’t click.

Isaac Liu – 6

Leigh really missed Liu during the 20 or so minutes he spent off the field, which is testament to his leadership qualities as well as his playing ability.

Louis Brogan (Interchange) – 7

Result aside, this was probably one of Brogan’s best performances in a Leigh shirt to date. We’d wager his metre return will be quite high compared to the rest of the Leopards’ pack.

Alec Tuitavake (Interchange) – 5

Tuitavake entered the action midway through the first half and had an instant impact with a handful of terrific carries. He was forced off 50 minutes in with, presumably, an injury though. That’s why his rating is as low as it is.

Matt Davis (Interchange) – 6

Davis is the ultimate utility, and proved exactly that on Friday night as he shifted into a couple of different positions during his stint on the field. His cover tackle a few minutes after entering the action stopped Oli Pratt scoring a certain try.

Edwin Ipape (Interchange) – 6

Much like Tuitavake, who entered the field at the same time, Ipape had an instant impact when he came on 23 minutes in. Trinity stopped him from having a huge impact in the second half, though.