DOING things differently has been the name of the game for the Leigh Leopards in the past year or so.
Tipped to fight it out with Featherstone Rovers for the 2022 Championship title, Leigh ended up beating all and sundry with ease last season to romp home to promotion.
During the year, owner Derek Beaumont helped head of rugby Chris Chester and head coach Adrian Lam recruit so that they would be prepared for Super League.
And it’s fair to say that tactic worked with the likes of Lachlan Lam and Edwin Ipape proving to be highly destructive at all levels.
But, Beaumont has also helped turn game days at the Leigh Sports Village into a celebration and Salford Red Devils head coach Paul Rowley has admired both of the club’s tactics.
“Their recruitment on the field has been most impressive, they recruited a team that is young and ambitious and Adrian’s son Lachlan spearheads that,” Rowley said on Sky Sports.
“On the field, every game has been an event. You only have to look at American sports to know it isn’t just a game. It is an event and Leigh fans love it here. They will get a party here every time.
“It is different already, their recruitment has been more measured and they prepared a lot earlier.”
Rowley also feels that the Leopards now have to focus on their academy and blooding through young players that come from the Leigh town.
“And when the time is right and they get the green light from the RFL, the infrastructure needs to come from within,” Rowley continued.
“There are a lot of young players that come through the junior setup and that’s where you sustain any successful club.”
