Analysing possible Super League destinations for Lachlan Lam after contract speculation
Leigh Leopards half-back Lachlan Lam is reportedly set to enter the open market for 2025, due to a release clause in the two-year deal he signed ahead of this season.
Examiner Live reported the above on Wednesday morning, with the 10-time Papua New Guinea international having been with dad Adrian at Leigh since July 2022.
The 26-year-old first helped the then-Centurions to promotion, and last year starred as they lifted the Challenge Cup at Wembley, winning the Lance Todd Trophy for his man of the match performance in the Leopards’ final triumph against Hull KR.
Below, we look at five Super League clubs Lam could link up with should a move away from the Leopards’ Den come to fruition…
Catalans Dragons
The Dragons will no doubt be in the market for a half with Jayden Nikorima having seen his contract terminated earlier this month, and Hull KR loanee Jordan Abdull departing come the end of the season to link up permanently with Hull FC.
NRL superstar Luke Keary will join Steve McNamara’s side in 2025 to fill one of those holes, but Lam could be a potential option to fill the other. Don’t forget, he doesn’t count towards quota spots either due to his Liverpudlian links.
Hull FC
Hull have openly admitted they’re after a half to plug the void that the departure of Hull KR loanee Ben Reynolds has left at the MKM Stadium.
The Black & Whites need a solution for the here and now, and Lam isn’t that given he’ll be at Leigh until the end of the campaign (at the very least), but the Kumuls ace could be a longer-term resolution. Perhaps this potential slightly dampened by the return of Abdull in 2025.
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Leeds Rhinos
A curveball here in the sense that both of Leeds‘ halves in Brodie Croft & Matt Frawley are overseas players and are contracted beyond the end of this season. Plus, they’ve got Jack Sinfield waiting in the wings.
BUT, Frawley has been terrible for the vast majority of his first season in Super League so far. Twice he’s been dropped, and you just wonder how much improvement we’re going to see. If the Rhinos could offload him and bring Lam in, they’d be in a much better position.
Salford Red Devils
Salford have one of the best scrum-halves in the league in Marc Sneyd, but the man partnering him in the halves this season hasn’t been consistent. Cade Cust’s debut campaign with the Red Devils has been impacted by injury of late, and Chris Atkin has slotted into the side in his place.
Cust is believed to be on Hull’s radar ahead of 2025, and if that happens, there’s probably no one better to partner Sneyd than Lam that’s actually attainable. Imagine that partnership by the way, it would be electric!
St Helens
Rounding things off with Saints, who will see Lewis Dodd depart for the NRL and South Sydney Rabbitohs come the end of the year.
Moses Mbye will still be around, but unless they’re planning on relying solely on Jack Welsby to slot into the halves when required, the Red V will surely need another half. Lam fits the bill perfectly, in our opinion.
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