Leigh Leopards coach Adrian Lam has confirmed that new signing Aaron Pene will be included in his 21-man squad for Friday’s match against Leeds Rhinos. However, Lam has not yet decided whether Pene will make his debut this weekend.
Powerful prop Pene arrived in England last week after signing a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Leopards. The 28-year-old, who has played 32 games in the NRL for New Zealand Warriors and Melbourne Storm, participated in his first training session with Leigh on Tuesday.
Leigh is set to face Leeds in Round 15 of the Super League on Friday night, and Pene will be part of the traveling squad to Headingley.
“We’ll include him in the squad,” stated Leigh coach Lam to Love Rugby League. “He trained today, but I’m mindful of the challenges players face after long-haul travel to the UK, such as jet lag and settling in.”
“It’s a quick turnaround heading into Leeds, and we’ll give Aaron every chance. I’ll be monitoring him closely this week to see how he copes. If he’s not quite ready in terms of meeting all the requirements, especially with the physical load and intensity, then we might wait until our next match against Wigan. We won’t make a decision until right before game day.”
“He participated in his first session with the squad today. He also trained with us on Saturday, and he was here to greet the team when we returned from Catalans on Sunday, which was a nice gesture. He had the chance to meet all the players and joined the group in training today.
“Like with all international players, it will take a couple of weeks for him to settle in fully. We need to ensure he adjusts more than a typical player would at the beginning of the season.”
Adrian Lam outlines what Leigh Leopards fans can anticipate from Aaron Pene. Pene, born in Australia with Samoan and German heritage, has committed to the Leopards until the conclusion of the 2026 season.
Describing Pene’s key attributes and what fans can look forward to, Lam remarked, “He’s a substantial presence, standing at around 6 feet 3 inches or 6 feet 4 inches. He brings explosiveness, which aligns with my preferred style of play, and he’s capable of being aggressive in defense.”
“He’s come from a system at Melbourne that’s among the world’s best in player development,” Lam continued. “I believe he’s already well-equipped with those skills, and our task now is to refine any areas that may need improvement. It’s my responsibility to accelerate his development to the level required as quickly as possible.”
“I’m quite excited to see him in the team. During my tenure here, we haven’t had a truly top-notch bench or one that can really change the game. We’ve had players who have come on and done their job at times, but our strength in competing in that area hasn’t always been the strongest. Initially, he’ll likely come off the bench, and if he can settle in and perform there, I believe the fans will really take to him.”