Exclusive: Adrian Lam on the Challenge Cup Final and Leigh Leopards’ chance of glory

It has been a crazy time for Adrian Lam since he took the reigns at Leigh . Joining the club in 2022, he guided the then Centurions to a league and cup double; seeing off Batley in the Million Pound Game and lifting the 1895 Cup at Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium. Fast forward a year, Lam finds himself preparing his men for another cup final, however this time they play in the main event, the Challenge Cup Final. 

Adrian Lam has been speaking to Serious About Rugby League today ahead of the Leopards date with destiny on Saturday.

“It’s ironic how only 12 months ago we were preparing in this week for the curtain-raiser game in the AB Sundecks Cup, so a lot of the players have experienced that big game last year, so 12 months on we find ourselves in the the Challenge Cup Final, so it’s incredible,” said Lam.

Lam’s side have risen to the very top this season, and now find themselves second in the Super League table. They have also beaten Saturday’s opponents Hull KR twice this season; however Lam was quick to shake the favourites tag.

“Yeah, I don’t look at it in any way like that at all,” he said.  “It’s more about making sure that we perform and have the DNA of us as a team very obvious out there, so it’s just important that our performance is who we’ve been.”

He added: “We certainly have earned the right to be there and so have Hull KR, they’ve been awesome all year as well, so I’m just excited about that opportunity to be there.”

Adrian Lam, a Challenge Cup winner himself back in 2002, highlighted just how surreal this year has been and also gave an account of his son, Leigh Leopards star Lachlan Lam watching him lift the same trophy the pair will be hoping to get their hands on this weekend.

“Not too much to take in, but just hard to believe. There’s a lot of pinch yourself moments; it’s like even with my son Lachlan being there, when I won the Challenge Cup as a player for Wigan in 2002, he was four years old watching from the sidelines at Murrayfield, yet 20 years later he’s running out as one of my players and me as a coach. There’s a lot of weird things going on. It’s ironic, but we’re excited.”

Saturday is bound to be an emotional day in the Lam family. Adrian will lead his side out on the hallowed turf of Wembley Stadium, but he will also get the opportunity to watch his son run out under the arch.

During the interview with Serious About Rugby League, Adrian spoke on how it will feel to watch his son Lachlan at Wembley, saying: “Yeah, I think [it will be emotional]. It won’t be the most important thing, but I think I’ll hold all those emotions until after the game. He’s just another player at the moment, albeit my son. He’s certainly helped develop the team that we are today and where we sit on the ladder and that we’re in the final. He just needs to do his job on game day. So if there’s any emotion, it’ll be after the game.”

Furthermore, he gave an insight into why he picked a strong side to face Leeds, just six days before they face Hull KR at Wembley, saying: “I think we made a pact a couple of weeks ago, what we wanted to do with this particular game, and we wanted to just pay respect to the Super League competition and make sure we fielded that our strongest team and where we sit on the ladder which was equal second, we wanted to maintain that.”

He added: “It was important for us to maintain that, and we felt that if we had a good performance on that would help settle the team and help with momentum leading into the final. So that was the way that we looked at it as a posed to the other way.”

He confirmed they came through the game injury free. “Yeah, everyone’s got through with no issues, grateful that we’ve done that.” said Lam. “It’s tough that we’ve got a six-day turn around into a final, but that’s the way it happens. I can’t complain about that, everyone’s got through. We’re in good shape so we’re good to go.”

Lam rounded off the conversation by speaking about the support from the Leythers faithful, saying: “I know our fans will be there in big numbers. They’ve been awesome for us all year, and the Leopard Print touch has been nice too at home and away games, and I just think we’ll do it for them and I know that if they’re cheering loud they’ll help us get home in the last 20 minutes and they’re going to be handy.”