Leigh Leopards’ Lachlan Lam makes Challenge Cup confession ahead of Warrington Wolves clash

Leigh Leopards playmaker Lachlan Lam has spoken about that 2023 Challenge Cup Final and what it would mean to return to Wembley with a much-changed group.

The Leopards defeated Hull KR, who are in the other semi-final, at Wembley in 2023 and won 17-16 with Lam’s golden point drop goal securing the win for Leigh.

It was a massive achievement with the Leopards newly rebranded and only just promoted from the Championship but Lam has conceded that he’s never actually watched the game back, bar those final few seconds.

Speaking to the media this week ahead of Sunday’s semi-final against Warrington Wolves, Lam recalled that moment when asked if he had rewatched the game.

“Particularly the last few seconds of it but we talked about it the other day, I don’t think I’ve watched the game from start to finish since the game happened,” he confirmed.

“I think it just all happened very quickly and we were celebrating, we had a good time and the town was buzzing and it all just flowed and before we knew it we were playing the next week against Catalans here.

“I think it just kind of came and went pretty quickly and then we’re back into the season so I didn’t have much time to watch it back after that.”

Leigh Leopards star hails “ridiculous” progress of centre pairing

Of course, Leigh must defeat Warrington before Lam and his teammates can dream of another Wembley win but he stated that he’s not had to explain the importance of the competition so those in the squad who weren’t there in 2023.

“I think they probably understand more than me as well,” he explained.

“They’ve been in England their whole life and they’ve grown up around the Challenge Cup, so I think the importance of it, not only to them but the town, is big.”

He also noted how special it would be to have success again with many of those who were fringe players in 2023, stating: “I think a few of the boys that have been in our strongest team at the moment were on the fringe then and they got to celebrate with us but didn’t get to play. I think they’d be more excited to be doing that.”

Many of those players have taken great leaps this year and become mainstays in the team with the likes of Umyla Hanley and Keanan Brand among those, and Lam highlighted the pair’s development.

The Papua New Guinean international explained: “I missed a big chunk of pre-season and obviously did all that international games at the end of the year so I missed their progression and by the time I’d come back in the difference between how they finished the year and where they were at was ridiculous.

“Fast, intense, skillful but they also had a great bond and you can see it in the way they were playing a few of those boys, especially Umyla with some of those performances before he got injured and Keanan just supporting there and doing his job and turning up for us.”

Brand will not be available this weekend but Hanley is expected to return to the starting XIII.

🏆𝗜𝗧’𝗦 𝗦𝗘𝗠𝗜 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞, 𝘼𝙂𝘼𝙄𝙉…

This little town has come a long way. pic.twitter.com/E7m9kZ6sAa

— Leigh Leopards (@LeighLeopardsRL) May 5, 2025