What Adrian Lam said about why Leigh Leopards didn’t sign Tom Amone amidst recruitment update

Leigh Leopards head coach Adrian Lam has revealed why the club did not re-sign former star Tom Amone, who has since joined Castleford Tigers for 2025 and Hull KR from 2026 onwards.

Amone has written himself into Leigh history with the powerhouse prop a firm fan favourite and that favouritism is perhaps why Leopards fans have a sour taste in their mouth at seeing their beloved prop sign with not just one, but two other rival Super League clubs.

The 29-year-old will spend the rest of the year with Castleford Tigers, however, he will live in Hull and acclimatise ahead of joining the Robins on a three-year deal from 2026 when they have both cap and quota space available.

Leigh had space on both with Adrian Lam having previously revealed the club would be interested in the prop, although owner Derek Beaumont confirmed no negotiations took place.

Speaking to the media ahead of their Round Eight clash with Warrington Wolves, Lam was asked about Amone and why Leigh Leopards weren’t able to recruit him.

Why Leigh Leopards didn’t re-sign Tom Amone

🤩✍️#UpTheRobins 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/PpVe0x2Oyy

— Hull KR (@hullkrofficial) April 15, 2025

The Papua New Guinean started by speaking on the fond memories that the prop made with Leigh, notably as part of the Leopards’ 2023 Challenge Cup winning squad and Lam explained that to be one of the reasons why fans were so keen to see him re-signed.

He explained: “I’ll be forever grateful for as a coach in regards to that Challenge Cup. It’s a moment that that group will forever have close to our hearts with their fans and I think our fans have got that real close connection with Tom because of that.

“They were hoping for all that to happen but sometimes things don’t work out that way.”

Divulging more information, he explained that he’d been made aware of Amone’s availability but ultimately the club intended to go in a different direction.

“I talk to Tom regularly on a basis since he’s gone home because I have that relationship with him,” Lam explained.

“Tom did tell me that he may be looking to head over to the Super League at a time a couple of weeks ago where I said, ‘Well if that’s the case obviously we’ll take a look at Tom’ but at the same time, we’re speaking to three or four other players in a similar position.

“Collectively as a group, we’ve made a decision that we want to head in a different direction with that and that’s as simple as that. Obviously congratulations to Tommy for getting a great deal there and he’ll always be welcome back here to LSV.”

“We’re not far” – Adrian Lam gives Leigh recruitment update

Having ruled themselves out of signing Amone and opting in a different direction, the Leigh Leopards boss spoke about just how close they were to filling that final quota space and completing their recruitment.

“We’re not far,” Lam said of recruitment, adding: “It’s happening every day on a 24 hour basis. Our man Chris Chester is working really hard on certain players.”

The Leopards boss highlighted Leigh’s strength in recruiting, even claiming that Hull KR can thank Leigh for their development of Amone.

Lam said: “I think we do a pretty good job on identifying two things. One is any players that may be available that are not quite there that we feel we can bring on like Tom Amone. When he came to us, he’d played a handful of NRL games, was off the bench for us, and we developed him and I think Hull KR can thank us for the amount of work that we’ve done with him on that.

“I feel we do a really good job on either finding the next talent that’s coming through in that position or a senior player with experience and it’s those key moments that you’ve got to choose the right person. So are we looking for youth or are we looking for experience? That’s where we’re at as a club and that sort of information beyond that is probably more in-house.”

Obvious areas of recruitment would be at prop, given Lam admitting that he spoke with Amone, whilst they also haven’t replaced Matt Moylan after his retirement at the end of last season making half-back another option.