LEIGH LEOPARDS – the name itself took the whole of the rugby league fraternity by surprise when it was announced back in late October.
Previously the Centurions, the Leigh club – bankrolled by charismatic owner Derek Beaumont – changed their identity and with it their approach to Super League for the fourth time since the summer game was introduced back in 1996.
On those three occasions, Leigh have been relegated at the first time of asking, but something feels different this time around.
A number of people are predicting – like people do every year with the newly-promoted side – that the Leopards finish bottom and therefore succumb to relegation, but it seems as though Leigh have done everything right this year.
From the appointment of Adrian Lam as head coach to the stable figure of Chris Chester as head of rugby, Beaumont has put in place essential figures who have been a part of Super League as both players and coaches.
Not only that, the change from Centurions to Leopards has brought with it brilliant exposure which has yielded some of the most lucrative sponsorship deals in the club’s history.
For that, Beaumont has to be given significant credit. For sticking his head above the parapet knowing that rival fans will be wanting to shoot him down at the first opportunity, the businessman doesn’t care.
He loves his club and his plethora of ideas should be lauded – even if the Leopards’ kit and badge has been changed over the course of the past six weeks.
Add into the mix the wealth of class and talent in the Leopards’ ranks – not least former Leeds Rhinos man Zak Hardaker and ex-Huddersfield Giants star Ricky Leutele – and Leigh have a great blend of experience and enthusiasm that can take a number of people by surprise in 2023.
Of course, the club will be hampered by the exits of Blake Ferguson and Nene MacDonald with the former leaving on compassionate grounds and the latter joining the Leeds Rhinos.
But, instead of licking their wounds, the Leopards are definitely likely to go out there and bring in a more than adequate replacement that will make people sit up and take note.
This isn’t a piece to say that Leigh will reach the top six in their first season back in the big time, but those that are predicting a bottom-place finish will almost certainly be left eating their words by the end of 2023.
