Leigh boss Adrian Lam says the Leopards will ‘keep their options open’ on the recruitment front, but will battle on with what they have at their disposal for now.

Thursday night saw Leigh thumped 54-0 in the ‘Battle of the Borough’ away against neighbours and rivals Wigan Warriors.

Even putting the result aside, the game proved a costly one for the Leopards: who lost front-rower Joe Ofahengaue and Bailey Hodgson to what appear to be long-term injuries alongside utility Matt Davis failing a HIA after a concussion.

Ofahengaue will be sidelined for at least a month with a calf issue, and full-back Hodgson may be out for the remainder of the year if Leigh’s worst fears around a ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) ring true.

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Leigh Leopards coach delivers recruitment update amid injury crisis with stance clear

Those injuries add to the absences of state hooker Edwin Ipape through a knee problem and prop Aaron Pene, who is yet to be seen in 2026 and has suffered a setback in his rehabilitation.

Elsewhere, first-choice full-back David Armstrong is expected to be missing until at least Round 8 of the Super League season as he continues his recovery from the ACL injury suffered last year.

Centre Umyla Hanley is another who is yet to play in Super League this term as he nurses an A/C joint injury picked up in a pre-season friendly against Warrington Wolves.

Asked about potential recruitment in his post-match press conference at Wigan, head coach Lam said: “We probably just need to keep our options open there.

“I’ve got a really strong squad. The next one in (to the squad) would have been Nathan Wilde, who’s out injured as well.

“Then it becomes Louis Brogan, who hasn’t played for eight months after a knee reconstruction.

“The next one then is Ryan Brown, who was 19th man tonight and hasn’t made his (Super League) debut for us yet.”

The Leopards – who next week take on Catalans Dragons – were already under-strength heading into the heavy defeat at Wigan, evidenced by veteran utility back Gareth O’Brien being named on the bench and playing just 11 minutes.

In those 11 minutes, he covered both half-back – having replaced off-season recruit Adam Cook – and full-back once Hodgson had been forced off in tears with a suspected ACL.

But Lam continued: “We’re okay, we’ll be fine. The players that I’ve got there will do the job.

“We have a goal of the first quarter of the season and that’s still on target.

“Nothing’s been broken there yet, it’s only Round 3.”