Leigh Leopards are preparing to face Wigan Warriors in a Super League semi-final but a bout of illness has left several players unable to train.
Head coach Adrian Lam has spoken with the media and confirmed that around half of his squad have not trained with illness, not injury, the major selection concern ahead of Friday’s trip to the Brick Community Stadium.
Not naming any players who had or had not been affected, Lam said: “There is a bit of sickness going around the camp.
“I think there might be at every club at the moment or at all the clubs that are remaining but probably half the group have not trained this week so far.
“That’s always a little bit alarming but I’m sure they (Wigan) have got it at their end as well.”
Leigh seem to be otherwise healthy with Lam noting: “That (illness) is the major concern at the moment. At this time of year, there’s always niggles with everyone but you just get on with it and you deal with it.
“It’s the illness that’s the concern at the moment.”
Leigh Leopards ‘not finished yet’ as Adrian Lam speaks on ‘incredible rise’
Whether the illness is severe enough to rule players out or just mean certain individuals are not at 100%, it’s a massive concern for the Leopards with those at Leigh hoping those issues are resolved in the next three days before Friday night’s game.
Having blown Wakefield Trinity away in the opening exchanges of last Friday’s play-off clash, Leigh were able to control the remainder of the game and that even saw them able to rest Edwin Ipape for much of the second half.
It was a performance that has caught the eyes of many and having already beaten Wigan twice this season, it would not be a shock to see Leigh succeed and make a maiden Grand Final.
On the fact that the Leopards have twice been 80 minutes from Old Trafford in the three seasons since their return to Super League, Adrian Lam lauded it as a major achievement but insisted that the job is not done.
Admitting that he’s not mentally prepared to not be coaching next week, Lam said: “If you’d have said a couple of years ago that Leigh Leopards are going to play in a semi-final and be 80 minutes from Old Trafford for two years in a row, everyone would go ‘Really?’
“It’s been an incredible rise but we’re not finished yet. We’re not happy being part of it, we want to keep going and I think it’s very difficult to see long term where we could end up, but also pretty exciting.”
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