Leigh Leopards Await Captain Asiata’s Potential Return for Catalans Dragons Clash
Published: April 19, 2023 | Source: BBC Sport
Leigh Leopards are set to include captain John Asiata in their 21-man squad for Friday’s home match against Catalans Dragons, but the team may once again be without powerhouse forward Robbie Mulhern.
Loose forward Asiata, who missed the latter part of the previous season due to injury, suffered a calf tear during the Leopards’ Round 3 defeat at St Helens on March 1. Eight weeks on, the influential skipper could make his long-awaited return, a boost for a Leigh side that has struggled to pick up results in his absence.
Meanwhile, prop Mulhern has already missed matches this season with a calf issue, a problem that has plagued several members of the Leopards’ squad in 2024. After returning last week in their defeat at Warrington Wolves, Mulhern is now nursing another calf concern and is considered a major doubt for the Catalans clash.
In his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Leigh head coach Adrian Lam provided an update on the fitness of his key players. He noted that both Asiata and hooker Edwin Ipape are “very, very close” to making their returns in the coming weeks. While Lam stated there is a “small chance” Asiata could feature this Friday, the coach acknowledged the risks of rushing the captain back given the quick turnaround to the Catalans game.
“He’s the captain of the club and a leader within the group, but more importantly, a lot of our attack runs through him with the style that I play,” the coach explained. “We have missed him, just his presence around the group lifts the intensity and his leadership takes us to another level.”
As for Mulhern, Lam admitted there is a “50/50 chance” of the England international featuring against the Dragons, with the coach considering the risk of the quick turnaround to be on the “high end.“
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