Leigh Centurions captain Micky Higham says his side have “one foot in Super League” following Saturday’s win against Hull KR – and reiterated it would be one of the highlights of his career if he guided his hometown club to Super League.
The former Great Britain hooker was again pivotal as Leigh extended their perfect start to the Qualifiers, this time with a 25-18 victory against the Robins.
The eight points Leigh have would have been enough to ensure a top-three finish this time 12 months ago, and Higham admits it was a crucial victory – but not one that guarantees promotion.
“It’s a really big step,” he said. “We set some targets to perform in every game and we’ve definitely done that, and we’ve got four wins from four.
“If someone said to us we’d be just over halfway and we wouldn’t have lost a game yet we’d have obviously taken it. We’ve one foot there but there’s a lot of rugby left to be played.”
Higham continued: “I can tell you it would be up there with the pinnacle of my career.
“I’ve played in Grand Finals, cup finals and I’ve played for my country but it would be right up there.
“You ask any lad who plays for his hometown club and they’d tell you how proud they’d be – so to be leading this group to four wins from four is very special and it would be incredible if we finished the job off now.”
Leigh now have back-to-back home games – with victory in just one of those clashes against Huddersfield and Batley almost certainly enough to get them over the line.
And Higham stressed it would be great to secure promotion at the Leigh Sports Village.
“I’d like to say ten would be enough but I don’t know. I’d sooner have 12 than ten so let’s go and win our next two home games.
“The challenge is to back this up against a quality team; the league table doesn’t lie but they’re a top, top side and they’ll want to come and knock us off our little perch I reckon. It’s not job done but we will enjoy this win.