LEIGH LEOPARDS coach Adrian Lam has backed his club’s continuing involvement in the reserve-grade competition after it entered for the first time in 2024.
On Saturday the Leopards reserve-grade side faced a strong Leeds Rhinos side at Golborne Parkside, which will stage their reserves matches this season.
The Leopards went down 22-30 after the sides were level 18-18 at half-time.
Leigh have already loaned out players to other clubs this season, with Kavan Rothwell and Ryan Brown both playing for Barrow, while last week it confirmed that former Castleford forward Brad Martin will join Batley Bulldogs on a month’s loan.
But according to Lam, that doesn’t reduce the club’s commitment to its reserve-grade side.
“I’m a big fan and supporter of reserve grade,” said Lam.
“The players who are not in the matchday 17 need to play as that is the best way of developing and growing, so any player who is available will play. And of course it gives the players in the reserves the opportunity to shine and stake a claim for inclusion in the first-grade squad.
“Whether the quality (of reserve grade) is as good as it should be is another question. There are younger players, in their low 20s as opposed to the high 20s ten years ago, and it’s useful and we are grateful that we have them there.”
Meanwhile Lam has suggested that he would like to see more consistency in terms of the preparation time that Super League clubs have from game to game.
“There needs to be a bit more thought put into it,” he said.
“We have gone from playing Wigan on a Thursday into a ten-day turnaround to play Huddersfield and then a five-day turnaround into Catalans and then a six-day turnaround into Hull, travelling away.
“It’s very difficult to go from a five-day turnaround into a six-day. You just don’t have any time to recover.
“It’s a great challenge for us as a club, but no one is talking about it.
“It’s really hard for any club to do that especially when you have niggling injuries. It’s all about attitude.
“I’m supportive of the RFL and whenever we play but I just think we need some more thought put into these short turnarounds.”
