Joey Leilua set for Featherstone debut in Monday night Rugby League
Photo credit: Renee McKay/SWpix.com
Joey Leilua will make his eagerly-anticipated Featherstone debut against Championship rivals Leigh in Monday night Rugby League.
The Samoa powerhouse has been named in Brian McDermott’s squad that will take on Leigh in Monday night’s Championship showpiece, which will be shown live on Premier Sports.
Leilua, who has made more than 200 NRL appearances, will go up against Papua New Guinea star Nene Macdonald in the centres. Macdonald arrived at the Centurions in the off-season having played more than 100 games in the NRL.
Matty Wildie and Ben Hellewell both played for Leigh in Super League last season. On Monday night, they will line up against their former club for the first time.
In Adrian Lam’s Leigh squad, Caleb Aekins is set to start at full-back. The New Zealander, who qualifies to play for Wales, made seven appearances for Canberra Raiders in the NRL last year.
NRL Grand Final winner John Asiata is also set to play his second game for the Centurions.
Featherstone: Pickersgill, Briscoe, Leilua, Hall, Gale, Holmes, Chisholm, Jones, Lockwood, Ferres, Bussey, Wildie, Davies, Moors, Hellewell, Hardcastle, Field, Smith, Cooper, Trout, Cuthbertson.
Leigh: Aekins, Brand, Macdonald, Nisbet, Reynolds, Mellor, Sidlow, Smith, Ioane, Wardle, Stone, Amone, Green, Hingano, Chamberlain, Jones, Asiata, Roberts, Dixon, McDonnell, Norman.
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Joey Leilua wants to help take Featherstone to Super League
Leilua wants to play in the World Cup this autumn, but says his main focus is helping Rovers gain promotion to Super League.
The 30-year-old powerhouse centre has joined Rovers ahead of the new Championship season after 12 seasons in the NRL.
Leilua has won 15 caps for Samoa. He wants to represent his heritage in this World Cup this autumn.
“I definitely have my eye on that,” Leilua told Love Rugby League. “But my main focus is this team, I’m not focusing on the World Cup. My main focus is to play great for this team and get us promotion to Super League.”
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