It is two years ago next week since Leigh Leopards secured promotion to Super League with victory in the Championship Grand Final, but nobody – not even their most passionate supporters – could have predicted what would follow.
This town, with a population of little more than 40,000, has barely made an impact on rugby league in the 42 years since they were last crowned champions of England. But in two seasons, Adrian Lam has taken Leigh from an outpost of the sport to one on the verge of history.
Last year, they stunned the rugby league world to lift the Challenge Cup for the first time since 1971. That, you felt, would be the pinnacle of their achievements and when they sat as low as ninth in the Super League table as recently as July, it felt like Leigh would do what many of Super League’s big hitters had hoped they would: fade into the background, like they always have.
But this team are not built that way. It starts from the top, with their flamboyant and outspoken owner, Derek Beaumont, who devised a rebrand ahead of their return to Super League that saw them sport leopard-print kits and transform from the Centurions to the Leopards. It was widely derided. But nobody is laughing now.
Only one side – the reigning champions, Wigan Warriors – had come to Salford this season and left with a victory. The odds were stacked against Leigh, but you get the feeling that is exactly how they like it. Lam’s side stunned the Red Devils to book their place in week two of the playoffs and move to within one game of a first-ever Grand Final appearance. They will face either Wigan or Hull KR in next weekend’s semi-finals.
They have not been champions of England since 1982. But a title feels more possible than at any point since that day. “It’s up there with my best moments,” Lam said. “They made a commitment to each other halfway through the year and it’s stuck.”
However, this incredible victory was overshadowed by what appeared to be a serious injury to one of their try-scoring heroes. Josh Charnley’s try which made it 4-2 to Leigh shortly after half-time was his 248th in Super League, moving him to second outright on the all-time list. But about 10 minutes later, he left the field on a stretcher and in a neck brace after landing awkwardly following a tackle on Ryan Brierley.
“He went past me when I came into the dressing room after full time and he was conscious and awake and moving,” Lam said of the winger. “He was in a neck brace and he’s been taken to hospital, but he wasn’t awake for a little while there.”
Salford had arguably shaded the first half, and the only score in an attritional opening 40 minutes was a penalty from the boot of the Red Devils’ Marc Sneyd. By the time they had scored again with two minutes to go, their season was all but over.
Leigh emerged from the half-time break reinvigorated. Matt Moylan and Ricky Leutele combined to great effect to send Charnley over in the corner and eight minutes later, the outstanding Edwin Ipape broke from deep before his looping pass found Gareth O’Brien to make it 10-2.
Charnley was then taken off after a lengthy stoppage, but within two minutes of that, Leigh regathered their composure and scored the decisive try, as Ipape reached over from close range. However, Moylan’s missed conversion left the gap at 12 points and just about within reach for Salford, who were now scrambling to save their season.
They piled the pressure on the Leigh line but the Leopards held firm with incredible resilience. By the time their defence was breached with two minutes to go, courtesy of Ethan Ryan’s try, it was too late. The Leopards, once again, stand on the brink of history.
