JOHN Asiata will lead Leigh Leopards into their 2024 Betfred Super League campaign with a ringing endorsement from head coach Adrian Lam.

In fact, the only alteration to the squad’s leadership group is the addition of Australian newcomer Matt Moylan alongside: Lachlan Lam, Zak Hardaker and Jack Hughes.

Asiata, 30, was a standout captain during Leigh’s record-breaking season in 2023 until a hamstring injury ended it prematurely.

And Lam has hinted the former NRL Grand Final winner may have his minutes scaled back as the team looks to build on its success.

“John sets the example on and off the field,” said Lam. “He is a very durable player and the ultimate professional.

“And of course he is a big influence on the way we play. Having said that he did play a lot of minutes.

“If we can manage that a bit better we will but we will take it as it comes.

“John’s preparations and recovery are second to none so that always gives him the best opportunity to play well.

“He and the leadership group did a great job last year so there has been no need to change that as we look to push forward.”

With Ben Reynolds having joined Featherstone, Lam is looking to perm any one of four to step upto the mark to kick goals this year.

“It will come down to Zak, Matt and Gaz O’Brien to kick goals,” he confirmed. “And Ed Chamberlain too if he is playing.

“Perhaps, we will have a kick-off over the next month to see how we get to a decision,” he added.

Lam and the squad have shivered since its return from a successful warm weather camp in Lanzarote.

“The weather was unbelievable,” he recalled. “We had trained twice a day, every day and when you look now when we can’t get on the training pitch, there is a definite advantage to those camps.

“It certainly brought the group together and I left with a similar gut feeling to what I had last year that it was definitely beneficial.

“It puts us in a better place to move forward and start the season well. That said, there is still a lot of work to do as a group to make sure the camaraderie and relationships keep building.”

*Leigh have appointed Kane Daniels as Head of Performance. Daniels previously worked at Bradford Bulls, Huddersfield Giants and Hull KR.