LEIGH LEOPARDS head coach Adrian Lam has explained that a lack of game time contributed to Aaron Pene’s early exit from the club.
The 30-year-old made just six appearances for the Leopards this season, with his departure confirmed earlier in the week.
The former Melbourne Storm prop joined Leigh midway through the 2024 season on a two-and-a-half-year deal and registered 14 appearances in their charge to the play-off semi-finals.
But he was limited to ten games last year, spending four months sidelined by a bulging disc in his lower back.
“It’s always sad and disappointing when a player leaves the club in a situation like this,” said Lam of the front-rower’s exit.
“Aaron is a player that, remembering his very first game against Leeds, he was unbelievable.
“We haven’t been able to keep him on the field for long periods of time.
“So with everything going on, we felt that the timing of that was right for Aaron to leave and he was on the same page.
“He understood the situation. That frees us up for a spot to potentially bring someone in before the end of the August deadline.”
Kai O’Donnell has been linked with a return to the club – for whom he made 77 appearances between 2022 and 2024 – but, Lam insists that no deal has been struck to bring in the North Queensland Cowboys forward back to the Leopards.
“Kai’s name keeps coming up, but he has been playing for the Cowboys so it’s a difficult one to follow through on,” he admitted.
“We have always respected him. I have always said that if we could bring someone back, it would have been someone like him.
“But, it’s not going to happen at this point in time. If there is a chance to talk to him, we will do that.
“There are several names that are available at the moment and we need to go through those and make sure we get the right name.”