Leigh Leopards head coach Adrian Lam has refused to rule out the possibility of his side making the top six despite the huge setback suffered from defeat against Leeds Rhinos.
A terrible start to the season saw Leigh side win just one of their opening seven games and meant that in all likelihood the Leopards would need to win nine of their remaining fourteen heading into Friday night.
That defeat now makes the task even harder with the magic mark of 28 points looking unlikely given some of the tough fixtures that Adrian Lam’s side have to play. Moreover, they will have to play three games in ten days in early August in order to fit in the rescheduled game against Wigan Warriors.
Adrian Lam was asked after the defeat to Leeds about the prospects of making the top six with the 18-10 loss having harmed his side’s chances, but he wouldn’t rule anything out.
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Can Leigh Leopards make the top six?
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Leigh Leopards had been turning the form on but the loss to Leeds certainly dents their hopes with the club likely having to earn 18 points from an available 26 in order to reach a realistic benchmark for the playoffs.
The last two seasons have seen the sixth-placed team have 28 points or more but Adrian Lam is refusing to get into the numbers, explaining he’s staying on a ‘week-to-week basis’.
He told LeopardsTV: “I’m trying to stay on a week-to-week basis with the coaching. It’s difficult to try and look forward and do your numbers and the rest of it. So I’m going to try and stay in the moment and be present with the day-to-day thing.
“We’ve got a run-off of six games in a row away from home and that was number five. So, the next one is away at Wigan to finish that run off, but then we’re the majority of the 13 games, or second half of the season, the majority at home.
“So there is still some hope there for us, and with those players coming back I think it’ll be the first time next week we’ll get a chance to pick up a full squad. So, looking forward to that and staying positive with that mindset.”
He would then go on to explain which players are expected to return for the game against Wigan after the break, adding that Tom Amone had failed his HIA but because of the extended break should be fine for that clash.
“I think with the international break next week it means that we will get some players back after that next round, Asiata will be available, Mulhern, Gaz O’Brien and Ollie Holmes too so maybe for the first time this year, we can get the full squad to pick from.”
