Leigh Leopards have had an almighty 2025, and after confirming a home play-off match, they are on track to break a club record of the highest finish to a Super League season.
The victory over St Helens last week proved once again why the Leopards are a force to be reckoned with, in what was a fifth win of the season against the league’s current top five clubs.
Tesi Niu and Isaac Liu were two of the dozen recruits brought in by Adrian Lam and his coaching staff, as the Leopards saw a huge turnover of players for the second year running.
However, the recruitment model clearly works, and the influx of players have seemed to fit in and work well with each other, their efforts paying off in the shape of a third place finish, the Leopards’ highest ever.
Ethan O’Neill was another new arrival ahead of 2025, and the back rower has had an impressive start to life in the UK.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ The Bench podcast, the 26-year-old was asked by presented Jenna Brooks and Jon Wilkin how he believed the Leopards’ season had gone, and how they were out to prove the pundits wrong for undermining their quality.
He said: “I remember in Round One, seeing a video of ‘who’s most likely to miss the top six?’ Everyone said [us] and I remember reposting that and we wanted to prove you guys wrong. Since day one of pre-season we’ve had a good side, and I knew that coming in. Everyone was fit, everyone was keen and eager to learn new stuff off Adrian and when everyone else came into the picture and the fold, we’ve just been nothing but close and a tight-knit group and we’ve just gelled since then.
“We did have a few slips since then, especially a few weeks ago against Hull, but it’s a long season and last night [at time of recording] Leeds slipped up against Catalans so anything can happen during the season.”
O’Neill is part of a forward back that has been one of the best in the league this year, with the likes of Owen Trout and Robbie Mulhern staking their claim to be part of Shaun Wane’s England squad at the end of the year.
The former Sydney Roosters junior paid credit to two other forwards, who have both been outstanding this campaign.
“[Isaac Liu]’s been sensational, said O’Neill. “Another one, Joe Ofahengaue, all those boys have been really good for us through the middle, got massive engines. It’s a credit to the coaching staff for bringing all us boys over and it’s second to none and I feel like it’s been a really good season for us and it’s only up from here.”
Leigh Leopards man has “no doubt” that his side can achieve Grand Final victory
Whilst third spot may be a club record, the Leopards season is far from complete. Adrian Lam’s men want to go all the way, and that is something they believe is achievable with the form they are currently in and quality of players available to them.
Asked what Leigh can, and want to achieve this year, O’Neill said: “A Grand Final win, obviously.
“I have no doubt in my mind… Obviously we’ve got to stick together when times get tough, we want to be pushing through that and sticking to our game plan. I feel like when we stick to our game plan, no team can come near us. We proved that against Wigan, St Helens and Hull KR a couple of months ago in that little block before the bye and if we can get back to that heading into the finals, which I believe we are on the back of the last three wins, we can achieve anything as a group and we firmly believe that.”
The Leopards have been every team in the league at least once this year, apart from one – Leeds Rhinos. Whilst he believes that the Leopards can beat anyone on their day, the fact they couldn’t overcome Brad Arthur’s men in the regular season does put some doubt in the Aussie’s head.
He said: “I wouldn’t say anyone really, maybe Leeds. We haven’t beaten them this year. Everyone else we’ve given a good run for their money and we’ve beaten them, but they’ve been our oddball. We’ve versed them twice and lost to them twice, but everyone on their day is the best team in the world and I feel like anyone, we go up against we can win.”
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