Leigh Leopards

Leigh Leopards boss hits out at video referee stoppages in Wigan Warriors clash

by
Sam Cook
May 17, 2025

Leigh Leopards head coach Adrian Lam has hit out at the video referee stoppages in his side’s loss to Wigan Warriors.

Wigan started fast and held off an early second-half resurgence from Leigh to win the Battle of the Borough 36-28 with Bevan French serving as the difference maker once again.

The match was marred by Wigan’s young outside back Zach Eckersley leaving the field on a stretcher after a ten-minute delay with Leigh’s Alec Tuitavake put on report for the incident.

Wigan boss Matt Peet confirmed Eckersley was headed to hospital and surrounded by family and Adrian Lam offered his well wishes as well, before pointing to that delay as one of many which saw the game finish at well past 10 pm.

Asked about the fact Tuitavake was placed on report, Lam told Sky Sports:”It’s obviously not a good outcome for the player. We hope he’s okay but players are backing into tackles at the moment and things like that are bound to happen. Obviously it’s not intentional.

“I think everyone’s going to be okay for Alec and hopefully for the player as well.”

Leigh Leopards boss bemoans lengthy Super League clash

He’d then label the delay as “not ideal” before citing a number of other instances where the video referee was used in order to create a match that lasted over two hours and 15 minutes.

“It felt like it went for ages tonight, the game,” Lam noted, adding: “Not only that but decisions in the match, there was like two to three minutes (on one decision).

“I think at one stage there it was five past ten and I’m thinking, what’s happened with these decisions? You can see some of the decisions where they went up for tries or the captain’s decisions.

“It’s just too many of them where they’re looking at the same replay when it’s easy to see.”

He’s not the first head coach to air frustrations at the video referee process, something that head of referees Phil Bentham spoke about earlier this week with the RFL looking to streamline the process.

“Imagine if he was in our team” – Wigan Warriors star the difference

Despite his issues with the video referee and the fact that Leigh ultimately lost, the Leopards boss was actually impressed with the performance, stating it was one he had been “looking for all season”.

He explained: “Well, I’m pretty happy with the outcome really in the way that we rallied. The game got away from us early on and then in the middle, we were tenacious and hung in there. I was looking for that all season really, so I’m really pleased at the way that we rallied.

“I thought we were outstanding in certain periods. There were a couple of really tough decisions at crucial parts of the game that influenced the momentum. I thought that was the key as well, but just really happy with the way it went as well. I mean, I couldn’t be any prouder.”

Bevan French registered two assists and was one of the key difference makers for Wigan and Lam was asked about the man who he initially brought to Super League, having signed him whilst head coach of Wigan

“Imagine if it was in our team,” the Leigh boss responded.

“He just cruises and then flicks the switch and then it all happens for him. How do you plan to defend that sort of stuff?

“Just individual brilliance as you said at different times in the game and that was the difference.”