My first blog of September brings comment just ahead of Leigh's biggest game in recent years. It isn't a Grand Final or an important Cup match however, it is a league game! Only a league game I hear you say, but one that could see the difference between Leigh playing second or third tier rugby league next year. In effect it is also a game for £100,000.
It has been well publicised that the salary cap in Championship and Championship One will be slashed next year with Championship clubs having a maximum of £300,000 to play in comparison to £200,000 for their Championship One counterparts.
The Centurions have won eight of their nineteen league games this year and a win will give them the best chance of survival with the pending arrival in October of Ian Millward and the undoubted squad restructure that will take place regardless of today's result.
I feel that overall, the current squad of players have given everything they have, I also feel that this squad was short on halfback options and wide running strike players. Far too often this year Ian Watson has been the sole creative option and Leigh have lacked punch in the centres. Looking at the squad it was always imbalanced and originally I said it would do very well to be fighting out a play-off place.
That said, the discussion about recruitment and planning for this season needs to be looked at another time. All eyes will be looking at the results between Featherstone Rovers/Batley Bulldogs and Leigh Centurions/Whitehaven.
My nerves are jangling already, it is a day of destiny and there are now less than four hours until kick-off.
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