Hull FC bound Zak Hardaker left out of Leigh side but could return against Hull KR next week
New Hull FC signing Zak Hardaker was left out of the Leigh Leopards side on Friday night, with the centre absent at Castleford Tigers as the Leythers surged to another win.
It's not the first time Hardaker has been missing from the Leigh line-up this year, with the 33-year-old also dropped for the game against St Helens at the end of July. However, those two games are the only times Hardaker hasn't been in the fold this season, with the player holding 27 appearances to his name across the centre and full-back spots.
Defeating the Tigers 34-12 in a win that sees Leigh hold fourth spot in the competition, until Saturday afternoon at least, coach Adrian Lam, who started Hull-bound loose-forward John Asiata, opted for Matt Moylan at full-back, with Ricky Leutele and Umyla Hanley in the centre spots. However, Hanley picked up a slight knock to his back at the Jungle, leaving the field in the first half, with Hardaker perhaps poised to come back into the Leigh line-up against Hull KR next week.
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"It's a bit of a nerve thing through his back," Lam said when asked about Hanley post-match. "We’ll just have to check out what that is as soon as we can. He lost a bit of power, so he couldn’t get back with speed, and he couldn’t get forward with speed. It was a precautionary move to get him off. He probably could have gone on."
Lam also confirmed the decision to rest Edwin Ipape was precautionary, with the Papua New Guinean hooker set to come back into the side against the Robins. "Edwin’s just had a bit of a sore shoulder," Lam added. "It wasn’t worth coming here and risking him with what’s left of the season, but that won’t be an issue. Edwin will be right next week."
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