LEIGH CENTURIONS coach Adrian Lam is looking forward to some drier weather.
But until then, he is ready to cope with whatever conditions are thrown up.
The Centurions, who host Widnes in the fourth round of the Challenge Cup tonight (February 28) return to league action at home to Newcastle on Sunday aiming to add to their three wins out of four so far.
While losing at Featherstone, they have beaten Whitehaven, Bradford and York, with their 40-4 victory at the LNER Stadium sealed through 34 unanswered second-half points.
“It was a tough first half and quite frustrating,” said Lam, who, having handed a debut to former PNG Hunters halfback or hooker Edwin Ipape, has snapped up New Zealand and Samoa international Krisnan Inu, the former NRL, Widnes and Salford centre, who has left French club Lézignan.
“The weather at York made it a real grind, especially in the first half.
“We didn’t get many opportunities to attack on their line, and when we did get close, they gave away penalties.
“My call was to take the points on offer, because we were playing into a massive headwind and I felt it was important to come off at half-time in front, which we managed to do.
“In the second half, I thought we were outstanding with our movement, speed and completion, which was above 90 per cent.
“And we got our short kicking game right, which allowed us to build pressure.”
Lam, who fielded St Helens forwards Jake Wingfield and Dan Norman on dual-registration, added: “I was pleased to get Edwin Ipape on so soon after his arrival.
“And I was really pleased with our halfbacks Ben Reynolds and Joe Mellor, who looked more connected than in previous games.
“As the pitches dry, their partnership will improve and we will improve as a team.
“But for the time being, we’ll keep dealing with the conditions, and that win at York was another step for us.”
Meanwhile Inu is looking forward to life in the Championship.
“I am excited to be joining the club,” said Inu.
“I have spoken to Lammy already and we are looking forward to working together. I want to bring a lot to the table and help the other boys around me as well as this team.
“Over the years, I have got a bit stronger and taller than when I started, as now I am more of a ‘give the ball and let me run’ type of offensive player.
“I have had coaches over my career that have opened my eyes to how I see the game.
“The longer you’re in the game, the slower it gets, is what certain coaches have said over the years, and at this stage in my career, I can certainly attest to that.
“I want to help the boys in that aspect, especially explaining the things I have seen over the years in my career. Whether it be technical or game-related, I am here to provide that knowledge to help this team in any way I can and won’t be afraid to speak up if necessary.”
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DEWSBURY RAMS coach Lee Greenwood says there’s little margin for error in the Championship as he prepares for Sunday’s trip to Whitehaven.
The Rams coach hoped to build on an encouraging 12-10 home win over Sheffield Eagles in the Monday-night Premier Sports-screened meeting with Widnes.
But after a tight first half, the table-topping Vikings turned the screw in the second to finally seal a 36-10 success and leave Tetley’s Stadium side third-bottom.
Dewsbury weren’t helped by the early loss of fullback Calum Turner through injury and then the departure of centre Brad Graham from the action.
But Greenwood, who once again fielded veteran player-coach Paul Sykes with Matty Beharrell in the halves, remained disappointed by his side’s second-half display.
“We lost a couple of bodies, and that hurts you, particularly the fullback going off in the first minute,” he said.
“It left us lacking a bit of energy.
“But even so, we were still in there at the break, because we’d been starting sets in good positions and getting a kick in.
“But we got virtually everything wrong in the second half, and you just can’t afford to do that, particularly in the fine-margin areas.
“We didn’t keep the pressure on Widnes, and when we went a couple of scores behind, especially in difficult conditions, we knew what was going to happen.”
Dewsbury finished tenth last season and Greenwood accepts that survival will again be his priority.
“We’re missing a bit of quality compared to the top teams such as Widnes, and in those games, we have to get pretty much everything right to have any chance,” he added.
“We lack players who are established at this level, and with that, a bit of match smartness, and it showed.
“But that is where we’re at. We know how hard it is to compete in this division, but we’ll keep working at it.”
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HALIFAX PANTHERS had a wasted journey to Workington thanks to the effects of Storm Franklin – and that meant double frustration for Oliver Roberts.
The Huddersfield forward was set to turn out for the Panthers on dual-registration, only for the game to be postponed.
The decision was made by the Workington ground safety officer mid-morning ahead of a scheduled 2pm kick-off.
The Halifax squad, including Ireland backrower Roberts, were well on their way to Derwent Park.
Two weeks earlier, the 27-year-old had journeyed to France for Huddersfield’s Super League opener at Toulouse, but not participated.
Roberts, who has spent the last two years on loan at Salford, making 21 appearances, says he’d be open to linking up with Halifax again.
“I need game time, because however much training you do, it’s not quite the same, and if the chance arose, I’d certainly be interested,” he said.
“I know (coach) Simon and (brother and fitness and conditioning specialist) Scott Grix and quite a few of the players there, and I had a game on loan at Halifax a couple of years ago.
“They are a really good club, and I was hoping to have a hit out at Workington.
“We’d left The Shay at 8am and had stopped for a stretch and some food when the news of the call-off came through.
“Something like that is always a disappointment, because you’ve started to prepare yourself, both mentally and physically, but it is what it is, and there’s no denying a lot of rain had come down.
“I had chosen to join up with Halifax rather than play for the Giants’ Reserve team against Salford, and in the end, both games were postponed.
“Before that, I went to Toulouse but was 18th man, so I haven’t had a run-out since Huddersfield played at Hull KR in pre-season.”
Halifax, who are eighth, head to second-placed Featherstone on Sunday.
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LONDON BRONCOS coach Jermaine Coleman is hoping his legal eagles will have his side flying up the table after being grounded in each of their four league games so far this season.
The Wimbledon club’s squad includes forwards Rob Tuliatu and Adam Vrahnos.
Both are Greek Australians who helped their heritage nation qualify for this year’s World Cup and both played under Coleman (who is part of the Jamaica caching team) at his previous club London Skolars and both are practising lawyers.
Prop Tuliatu, 26, figured twelve times for the Haringey team in 2019 after starting that season at West Wales Raiders. He then returned to Australia to played for Cessnock Goannas in the Newcastle competition.
Second rower Vrahnos, 29, made seven appearances for the Skolars last year.
He featured in the Broncos’ most recent Championship defeats by Whitehaven and Featherstone, while Tuliatu, a former Newcastle Knights Under 23 player, had outings in both those matches as well as the earlier losses to Widnes and Halifax.
Vrahnos, who was in the Canterbury Bulldogs development system, explained: “Any aspirations of playing at higher levels took a back seat when I started university.
“I kept involved for the love of it and now I have a chance to represent a famous club in London Broncos, which is awesome.
“Jermaine was great to play for at London Skolars. He is very knowledgeable about the game and the best thing is that he values hard work over everything.
“If you brought a good attitude and put in the effort, the opportunities and rewards would be there.
“Rob (Tuliatu) is a great bloke who I have got to know through the Greek team.
“He is a character and we always have a good laugh. We will hopefully both be flying the flag proudly for Greece this year.”
The Broncos have brought Scotland fullback Alex Walker back to the club after two seasons at Wakefield. The 26-year-old had a loan spell at Featherstone last year.
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NEWCASTLE THUNDER coach Eamon O’Carroll can’t wait to pit his wits against Adrian Lam when Thunder head to Leigh on Sunday.
The Kingston Park team chief, 34, was coming through Wigan’s Academy system when the 51-year-old Lam, now leading the Centurions’ bid for a quick return to Super League, was the Warriors’ star halfback.
“It will be great to catch up with him,” said former Ireland prop O’Carroll, who is in his second campaign at the helm.
“Lammy’s a great bloke who was always willing to pass on advice and tips to younger players.
“He’s the same as a coach and he’s always worth listening to because he has so much experience, both in Australia and England.
“We know it’s going to be a tough test, but we also know that to progress the way we want to, we have to compete against strong teams like Leigh.
“This will be a good gauge of where we are at and the things we need to work on.”
Newcastle, who went full-time during the close-season after an eleventh-placed finish on their return to the second tier last year, resume their league campaign after the fourth round of the Challenge Cup aiming to build on a 40-24 home win over Whitehaven.
Thunder’s second victory in four put them sixth, and O’Carroll continued: “It was a great win, and I was really pleased with the performance, especially in the second half (they were eight points behind at the break).
“We’d had a few issues with our discipline in previous games and had put the focus on that during the build-up, and I think we saw the results.
“Whitehaven are a good side who made the play-offs last season and have plenty of seasoned players.
“There are also a few former Newcastle lads there, so they were well it for it, and to get the win was great.”
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WIDNES VIKINGS coach Simon Finnigan might have guided his side to the top of the fledgling table, but he’s not making any wild predictions about the remainder of the season.
The Vikings head to Leigh in the fourth round of the Challenge Cup tonight (February 28) chasing a fifth win from five after impressive Championship victories over London Broncos, Workington, Halifax and Dewsbury.
They will be back on league business next Monday (March 6) when they host Barrow in the third of successive appearances in front of the Premier Sports cameras.
“We’ve had a good start, but we’re not getting carried away,” insisted Finnigan.
“Widnes are a big club, and people will talk about us whether we are winning or losing.
“That’s fine, but we’ll just keep working hard and try to win more games.”
Widnes cut loose in the second half at Dewsbury, where they were held to a 12-10 advantage at the break after a Lloyd Roby double.
Brad Holroyd, Tyler Dupree, Joe Lyons and Adam Lawton crossed while Steve Tyrer completed a six-from-six goal-kicking stint.
“The first half was a grind, and we weren’t great,” reflected Finnigan.
“But we’ve got some smart players who can sum up the game pretty quickly, and they knew we were a little bit off it.
“In the second half, our defence and how we controlled the ball was more pleasing.”
Prop Doro’s loan from Warrington has been extended to the end of the season.
“I’ve loved my time here and I’m really enjoying my rugby,” said the 20-year-old.
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YORK CITY KNIGHTS have lost the services of former Super League centre Jack Logan.
The 26-year-old has left the City Knights due to personal reasons.
He signed for them ahead of this season and played in their opening three matches, the 30-12 home defeat by Featherstone, 30-2 home win over Dewsbury and 10-4 victory at his old club Batley.
York then lost 40-4 at home to Leigh, from whom they signed Logan, and are seventh in the table ahead of Sunday’s trip to London Broncos.
The club said in a statement: “Jack Logan has left the club with immediate effect.
“Everyone at the Knights would like to thank Jack for his efforts throughout his short time with the club and will continue to offer him support where required.”
Logan started his career at home-city club Hull, making 38 top-flight appearances with 15 tries, before a move to Doncaster in 2020.
He featured in three of the South Yorkshire side’s four games before the campaign was halted by Covid.
Last season, he played for three different teams.
There were eight outings (with three tries) for Batley, one back at Hull on loan (he crossed for a try in the 17-20 home win over huddersfield in June), and five for Leigh, who signed him to bolster their squad in the unsuccessful attempt to avoid relegation.
Logan wrote on Instagram: “It wasn’t an easy decision, trust me, but I think it’s time to put my family first, instead of my rugby.
“I’ve played for some great clubs and met some great blokes along the way.
“I’m proud of what I managed to do in my career, and I’ll cherish those memories for life.
“It’s not an easy thing to do this but it is equally, if not easier, than the mental stress and pressures that playing the sport causes, not only for myself but for my family too.”
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BARROW RAIDERS are counting the cost of storm damage to their Matt Johnson Prestige Stadium and working on repairs.
Chairman Steve Neale has confirmed to League Express that there are no worries over staging forthcoming games at what is traditionally known as Craven Park.
With the perimeter wall, grandstand and advertising hoardings all affected, the Raiders reckon the eventual cost will run into six figures.
A clean-up operation commenced within hours and the club said in a statement: “This is a massive blow, but we will come back stronger.”
Barrow, who were promoted to the Championship as last year’s League 1 champions, have invested in their ground over the last few years.
The stadium, which dates back to 1931, has staged two league games this year, a 22-10 success over Sheffield in front of 1,927 and a 14-6 victory over Newcastle before 1,744.
Paul Crarey’s side also won 18-4 at Whitehaven, while their game at Bradford was postponed because of waterlogging at Odsal.
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BATLEY BULLDOGS will have to rearrange their home clash with Sheffield – but coach Craig Lingard says postponing the game 48 hours before it was due to take place because of the state of the pitch was the right call.
Batley had played York on the surface five days earlier, going down 10-4, and Lingard said: “By the end, you couldn’t tell who was who, it was so muddy.
“I don’t think anyone really wants to watch or play rugby in those kind of conditions, and it was a poor spectacle.
“If we had managed to get the Sheffield game on, it would have been the same again, and there would also have been a player-welfare issue.”
Next up for the Bulldogs is Sunday’s trip to Bradford.
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BRADFORD BULLS back Elliot Hall is ready to make up for lost time after recovering from injury.
The 24-year-old former England Universities player could line up against Batley, for whom he scored eleven tries last year, at Odsal on Sunday.
Hall’s penultimate outing for the Bulldogs was in the play-off eliminator against Bradford in September, when he scored a try to help seal a 23-10 win.
Following the 51-12 semi-final defeat by Toulouse in France, he penned a two-year Bulls contract.
But he didn’t feature in the first warm-up game against Batley, then suffered a torn hamstring in training before next trial game against Hull, in which he was due to play.
“It’s not been the start I’d hoped for,” said Hall, who after playing for London Skolars and Coventry (now Midlands Hurricanes), scored six tries in five appearances for Workington in 2020 before the pandemic hit.
“I didn’t get chance to play in pre-season, which was unfortunate.”
Hall, who works in his club’s marketing department, added in an interview with local newspaper the Telegraph and Argus: “It’s nice to be back training again, after having to go through a load of conditioning, and I hope what I can do in practice is reflected on the pitch.
“I got injured last pre-season at Batley, but I did well when I came back, and I’m eager and enthusiastic to show what I can do.”
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FEATHERSTONE ROVERS coach Brian McDermott says his players must get used to opposing teams finding an extra gear against them.
While his side are behind Widnes on points difference after four games, they and Leigh are the favourites to feature in this year’s Grand Final.
The former Leeds and Toronto coach knows that tag means his side are seen as a potential big scalp, and points to the recent home game against London Broncos, who were beaten 30-12, as evidence of that.
“You’ve got to give London massive credit, because they didn’t go away,” he said.
“It happens so often. As a coach, you preview a team, look at their traits, what their numbers look like, the trends in the way they like to play and their systems defensively.
“Then they come to one of the teams at the top of the table and show up differently.
“They had a really committed attitude and showed a fair amount of grit.”
McDermott added: “I didn’t think we looked full of energy or really sharp, but then we’d had three tough games previously.
“Workington away (Featherstone won 26-10 in tough conditions) took a huge amount out of energy out of us.
“So to score five tries against London, and show such commitment defensively, I’m really pleased.”
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SHEFFIELD EAGLES hope to learn this week that their new community stadium at the Olympic Legacy Park in the eastern corridor of the city will receive a licence from Sheffield Council.
A meeting has been fixed for tomorrow (Tuesday, March 1) to discuss developer Scarborough International Group’s application to use the 5,000-capacity stadium and its facilities for hospitality, corporate and community events, live music and film screenings as well as matches.
SGI is delivering the project on the site of the old Don Valley Stadium, which the Eagles used from 1999-2009 and again from 2011-2013, as part of an agreement with Sheffield Council.
The community stadium features a 3G artificial pitch and three-storey covered grandstand.
Sheffield, who played at an embryonic version of their new home from 2018 to 2020, are due to host London Broncos there on Good Friday, April 15.
Before then they are scheduled to visit Workington, Whitehaven and Featherstone in league games, with the postponed match at Batley to be rearranged.
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WHITEHAVEN coach Jonty Gorley says failing to win after scoring 24 points away from home added to the disappointment of defeat at Newcastle.
The West Cumbrian side, who included ex-Thunder prop Liam McAvoy, were eight points ahead at half-time but lost 40-24.
They now head into Sunday’s home game against Dewsbury in eleventh place.
“We were in total control for twenty minutes then made one error and we didn’t get the ball back for a good while,” said Gorley.
“Against a decent side like Newcastle, all that defending will take its toll.
“Even though we were in front (24-16) at half-time, that spell sucked a lot of energy from us, and that affected us in the second half.
“Going away from home and scoring 24 points should have set us up to win.”
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WORKINGTON TOWN have defended themselves against criticism from Halifax fans over the postponement of their recent meeting at Derwent Park.
Unlike Batley and Bradford, who confirmed the call-off of their clashes with Sheffield and Barrow respectively 48 hours beforehand, Town made their announcement mid-morning ahead of a scheduled 2pm kick-off, meaning some Panthers supporters were already heading for West Cumbria.
But rather than being down to a waterlogged pitch, the decision was taken by the ground safety officer, and according to the club’s statement was “due to increasing wind speed and the yellow weather warning in place for the rest of the day”.
The pitch had been ruled playable after an inspection earlier in the day, although Workington warned the situation would be kept under review.
Promoted Town, bottom of the embryonic table, go into their next league game at home to Sheffield on Sunday seeking a first two-point haul at the fourth attempt.
“It’s a big step up from League One to the Championship,” said coach Chris Thorman.
“I always had belief in this group and I think they showed against Featherstone that they have the right attitude and are learning all the time.”
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