Leigh Leopards head coach Adrian Lam has spoken about the levels one of his star men is yet to unlock in a message that will strike fear into rival Super League clubs.
The Leopards progressed to the Challenge Cup semi-finals with a 20-12 win over Wakefield Trinity last Friday with Leigh booking in a match-up against Warrington Wolves.
Adrian Lam’s side still have a month until that game, during which they will play Warrington, but Lam has insisted the focus is always on fine-tuning what his own side can do as opposed to worrying about the opponents, something they’ll do ahead of tonight’s game against Castleford Tigers.
With so many new faces at the Leigh Sports Village for 2025, it’s a surprise that the Leopards have started the season as well as they have – particularly considering their dismal start in 2024.
One of those signings who has taken everything in his stride and firmly established himself as one of the best at his position is centre Tesi Niu, the ex-Dolphins man who ranks second in Super League for metres and tackle breaks.
Adrian Lam makes scary prediction about Leigh Leopards’ star performer
Despite being an NRL-established centre who was just 23, there was little noise about Niu in terms of a Super League move until when Leigh announced the deal and Lam explained how his side were able to land the former Tongan international.
Speaking to the media, he explained: “I think we do a pretty good job with finding players that are under the radar and we feel that we do our homework heavily on who’s the next ones coming through and that one was quite an easy one.
“I’ve watched Tesi since he was 12 or 13, when I was doing the junior recruitment for the Roosters. At that age group, right through the teenage age group, I think he was probably the best teenager in Australia, in the country, at one stage there.
“We always had eyes on trying to bring him over here and then it happened.”
Niu has shone for Leigh so far but Lam believes there is still plenty to come with the Leopards boss recounting the incredible solo try that the centre scored against Wakefeidl Trinity.
He argued: “I still think Tesi’s got three or four levels to go to. I mean that try in that moment, in that part of the game was inspirational.
“You don’t see too many players do individual things like that in the game and it was just as good as it gets in rugby league to get the team off the canvas, lift them back into a position to win the game and just if you see the team around him when he scores, everyone’s in there within two or three seconds of him scoring.
“They know what he’s capable of doing. He’s an unbelievable talent and I think he’s only going to get better and better as the year goes on. Once he settles right in, his confidence is already there and I think he’s going to go to another level with his game in the next couple of weeks.”
💥 Tesi Niu MY WORD!
🏆 #ChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/F1yj8VTd6f
— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) April 4, 2025
