LEIGH LEOPARDS head coach Adrian Lam could hand a debut to new signing Lazarus Vaalepu for the visit of Castleford Tigers on Saturday afternoon.
Vaalepu signed from NRL side Melbourne Storm at the end of June and comes in for the injured Joe Ofahengaue.
Tesi Niu could also be out for the season with a ruptured MCL whilst Jacob Alick-Wiencke drops out of the 21-man squad as Jack Hughes and Ryan Brown come in.
Meanwhile, it’s all change for Castleford following a 48-6 drubbing by local rivals Wakefield Trinity at the Magic Weekend.
Jordan Lane, Jack Ashworth, Jenson Windley and Sam Hall return to the 20-man squad while Darnell McIntosh, Brock Greacen, Joe Westerman, George Hirst and Tyler Dupree all miss out through injury.
SQUADS
Leopards: 1 David Armstrong, 4 Umyla Hanley, 5 Josh Charnley, 6 Adam Cook, 7 Lachlan Lam, 9 Edwin Ipape, 10 Robbie Mulhern, 11 Frankie Halton, 12 Owen Trout, 13 Isaac Liu, 14 Aaron Pene, 16 Matt Davis, 17 Liam Horne, 18 Bailey Hodgson, 19 Innes Senior, 21 Gareth O’Brien, 22 Jack Hughes, 24 Ben McNamara, 25 Louis Brogan, 28 Ryan Brown, 31 Lazarus Vaalepu
Outs: 3 Tesi Niu, 8 Joe Ofahengaue, 15 Jacob Alick-Wiencke
Ins: 22 Jack Hughes, 28 Ryan Brown, 31 Lazarus Vaalepu
Tigers: 2 Semi Valemei, 5 Mikaele Ravalawa, 6 Daejarn Asi, 7 Tom Weaver, 8 Renouf Atoni, 9 Liam Hood, 10 George Lawler, 11 Jordan Lane, 12 Alex Mellor, 13 Joe Stimson, 15 Jack Ashworth, 21 Louis Senior, 22 Jason Qareqare, 23 Krystian Mapapalangi, 24 Jenson Windley, 25 Sam Hall, 27 Cain Robb, 31 Ashton Golding, 35 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e, 37 Jack Brown
Outs: 4 Darnell McIntosh, 14 Brock Greacen, 16 Joe Westerman, 32 George Hirst, 36 Tyler Dupree
Ins: 11 Jordan Lane, 15 Jack Ashworth, 24 Jenson Windley, 25 Sam Hall
Referee: Liam Rush
STATS
Last ten meetings:
Castleford 14, Leigh 24 (SLR13, 5/6/26)
Leigh 46, Castleford 6 (SLR24, 28/8/25)
Castleford 6, Leigh 20 (SLR7, 12/4/25)
Castleford 12, Leigh 34 (SLR25, 6/9/24)
Castleford 10, Leigh 20 (SLR20, 1/8/24)
Leigh 28, Castleford 28 (aet) (SLR10, 4/5/24)
Castleford 16, Leigh 34 (SLR18, 7/7/23)
Leigh 30, Castleford 6 (SLR11, 5/5/23)
Castleford 52, Leigh 16 (SLR3, 16/4/21)
Leigh 0, Castleford 38 (SLR16, 29/5/17)
Super League summary
Leigh won 7
Castleford won 3
1 draw
Leigh highest score: 46-6 (H, 2025) (also widest margin)
Castleford highest score: 52-16 (H, 2021) (Widest margin: 38-0, A, 2017)
Leigh’s JOSH CHARNLEY needs two tries to draw level with MICK SULLIVAN in joint 20th place in the list of all-time scorers in the British game.
19 Paul Newlove 347
20 Mick Sullivan 342
21 Josh Charnley 340
22 Garry Schofield 330
23 Shaun Edwards 327