LEIGH LEOPARDS prop Aaron Pene is set to return to action this weekend.
Pene has only made five appearances for the club this season, having been sidelined since April with a bulging disc in his lower back.
The 29-year-old made a significant impact when he signed for the Leopards in May last season from Melbourne Storm, playing 15 games in their run to the play-off semi-finals.
He could make his comeback for Leigh’s reserves team, who host Hull KR at Golborne Parkside on Saturday, according to head coach Adrian Lam.
“I think Aaron Pene is going to be playing reserves this week, that’s his first game back,” Lam said.
“So he’ll be in the (first-team) picture the week after (at home to Salford Red Devils on Friday, August 22), or the week after that (the visit of Castleford Tigers on Thursday, August 28).
“He’s the last player to be available for this year, if you take out Louis Brogan and Davy Armstrong (who are both out for the season with knee injuries).
“We’re pretty close to full fitness from next weekend, so that’s a good sign at this time of year. There will be pressure on players to hold their positions.”
Pene’s return will be a further boost to Leigh’s front row after Robbie Mulhern made his own comeback from a pec tear in last week’s defeat to Leeds Rhinos.
With Owen Trout and Joe Ofahengaue proving an effective starting pair in Mulhern’s absence, Lam now has a decision to make on his line-up.
He said: “I’ve got to try and fit them all in, that’s the issue and it’s a great thing for us.
“I think Robbie Mulhern is a starting prop so we’ll see how that unfolds.
“He’s not quite 100 percent fit yet but very close, so we’ll probably run with him off the bench another week (at Hull FC on Saturday) to minimise his time, but we’ll take that decision on game day.”