Leigh Leopards Suffer Quadruple Injury Blow in Narrow Defeat to Warrington Wolves
The Leigh Leopards faced a challenging pre-season match against the Warrington Wolves, but the real battle was fought on the injury front. Despite a strong showing, the Leopards suffered a narrow defeat, with four key players sustaining injuries that could rule them out of upcoming games.
The game against Warrington was the Leopards' sole pre-season fixture, and Adrian Lam opted for a deep bench, fielding a starting XIII close to full strength. However, forwards Isaac Liu and Robbie Mulhern, the latter reportedly signed with Castleford Tigers for 2027, were absent due to injury concerns, with Mulhern's availability described as 50-50.
Despite the setbacks, the Leopards fielded a robust side, including five new signings, such as new half Adam Cook. The match remained tight, with Joe Philbin scoring late to secure a 16-12 victory for Warrington. The real concern, however, was the injury toll.
Two Leigh players, Joe Ofahengaue and Liam Horne, were forced off after heavy collisions, potentially suffering HIAs (Head Injury Assessments). If confirmed, they would be ruled out of the Challenge Cup clash with North Wales Crusaders next week. Adding to the injury woes, Matt Davis and centre Umyla Hanley also left the pitch with apparent injury issues, with Davis appearing to suffer an ankle injury and Hanley holding his arm and shoulder.
Hanley, in particular, is a crucial player for Leigh, having signed a new deal following his impressive 2025 Super League Dream Team campaign. The Leopards have bolstered their depth at the centre position with the addition of new signing Innes Senior, who can fill the role. They have also strengthened their pack with NRL recruit Jacob Alick-Wiencke and St Helens youngster Oliver Polec.
The game itself saw Warrington take an early lead through Toby King, extending their lead just before half-time with Jake Thewlis' score. Andrew Badrock and Innes Senior responded swiftly for Leigh, putting them ahead. However, Joe Philbin's late match-winning score sealed Warrington's pre-season triumph with two wins from two.
The match ended with a final score of Wolves 16-12 Leopards, as captured by the tweet: 🐺Wolves 16-12 Leopards 🐆 (https://t.co/4Qea6vl7Yl).
