Leigh Centurions have made the best three signings in Championship history as Adrian Lam gears up for Super League

Leigh Centurions are a Super League side in waiting, there can be no disputing that.

Bankrolled by owner Derek Beaumont, the Lancashire club are perhaps the most well-placed Championship side to make a splash in the top flight the second division has ever seen.

Having secured the League Leaders’ Shield at the weekend, Leigh have won every single game in 2022 except one – to Featherstone Rovers in round two.

The nature of improvement deep within the side has been phenomenal after a shaky start to the season, with the influx of incredible new signings playing a key role in that transformation.

In fact, you could even go as far as to say that the Centurions have not only signed the best player that the Championship has ever signed in Blake Ferguson, but that they have also signed the best three players to have ever graced the second tier.

Edwin Ipape came to the UK as a relative unknown, but his Papua New Guinea links with head coach Adrian Lam convinced the hooker to come to Leigh without his family – an incredible step for a 23-year-old who had never been to these shores before.

Lam had come into contact with Ipape at the 2019 Oceania Cup against Samoa and was impressed enough to hand the PNG international a chance to get Leigh back into Super League.

And, it’s fair to say that Ipape has been a revelation and one of the Championship’s best players in 2022 with the hooker signing a new deal with Leigh despite the attention of Super League clubs.

Add into the mix Nene MacDonald whose strength and power has been tremendous to watch in the second tier and the Centurions have perhaps the best three player the Championship has ever seen.

Of course, Ipape and Ferguson are tied down for 2023 and beyond, but question marks remain over the future of MacDonald with a potential move to Leeds Rhinos in the pipeline.

The Centurions, too, will need to get rid of six overseas players before they can abide by Super League quota rules, but just who those may be remains to be seen.