After play-off victory, Leigh Leopards head coach Adrian Lam has given some hints as to what the team could look like next week.
The Leopards saw off Salford Red Devils in an excellent display, which seems them make the play-off semi-final for the very first time.
It was a night that will certainly go down in Leigh Leopards history.
Josh Charnley suffered a nasty injury during the game, however, and Lam said afterwards: “He went past me when I came to the dressing room straight after the full-time siren.
“He was conscious and awake and moving, but braced up and put into an ambulance and taken to hospital.
“I don’t know enough about it to be honest. All I know is that he wasn’t awake for a while.”
It seems that it isn’t as serious as first feared, but he will be unavailable next week due to HIA protocols.
Leigh Leopards boss on Hardaker at second-row
Credit: Imago Images
Due to an injury to Kai O’Donnell, Zak Hardaker – who usually plays at centre or fullback – was forced into the pack.
Lam said: “I sent him a message saying that Kai O’Donnell wasn’t playing tonight and rang him today and his response was just priceless. It was just quality.
“He said, ‘This is what my life is all about, I just want to play. Play me in the middle if I have to.’
“In hindsight, he’s done 60, 70 minutes in the back row and he went great.
“There will be a few headaches I guess in the selection, in the sense of who’s available to play or replace one or two players.”
Referring to O’Donnell, Lam concluded: “He should be alright.”
They will find out their play-off opponents tonight, when Warrington Wolves face St Helens: they’ll be up against Wigan or Hull KR in a fight to reach the Grand Final.
