Keanan Brand is set to miss Leigh Leopards’ play-off campaign after suffering another ankle injury, boss Adrian Lam has confirmed.
The Leopards take on Wakefield Trinity this week, before it is highly likely that they take on the same opponent again in the eliminator round of the finals.
At present, Leigh will be travelling to Belle Vue, but if they defeat Daryl Powell’s side by 28 points or more, the game will be held at the Leigh Sports Village.
Brand made his Leigh return on Friday night in the 48-10 win over St Helens, but his comeback was short-lived, having not returned for the second half.
Lam stated post-match that it was the same ankle that he injured way back in March, and the one that has kept him out for the majoirty of 2026.
The Leigh head coach is expecting scan results back today, but doesn’t envision the centre/winger returning before the end of the year.
I’m waiting on [results] now,” Lam told the media on Tuesday afternoon. “He was obviously disappointed. He’s had a difficult year with injury, and it’s gone from bad to worse at times.
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“He’s another one of our key players who hasn’t played a lot during the season, but it looks like this may be the end of this year for him.”
Brand is actually one of three Leigh players who Lam stated will miss the rest of the campaign, with long-term absentees Tesi Niu and Bailey Hodgson also set to be sidelined until after the finals.
What that means is Hodgson has played his final game in leopard print, having agreed a deal with Hull FC for 2027. Both he and Niu last played for Leigh at Magic Weekend, with Niu suffering injury after a hip-drop tackle from Sam Powell.
Hodgson was hit with an elbow injury that left him hospitalised after an infection. There were initial thoughts that his career could be over, worst-case scenario, but thankfully that is not the case.
Providing the latest on some players with more minor injuries, Jack Hughes missed last week’s game through illness, whilst Jack Ashworth will be given until kick-off to prove his fitness after a “rib cartilage issue.”
“He [Ashworth] will be included in the 21,” said Lam. “It’s just then whether or not we decide to keep the same 13/17 or think we can rotate someone there for the betterment of our game.”
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