Leigh half-back Lachlan Lam was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy for player of the match after his side's 17-16 Wembley win over Hull KR; watch Leigh take on Betfred Super League leaders Catalans Dragons live on Sky Sports Arena from 2.30pm on Saturday (3pm kick-off)
Monday 14 August 2023 10:55, UK
A player named Lam scoring a try and a drop goal to help his team win the Betfred Challenge Cup? Stop us if you have heard this one before.
Just like his father 21 years ago, Lachlan Lam can now call himself a winner of rugby league's oldest and most prestigious knock-out competition after playing a starring role in Leigh Leopards' first Wembley triumph since 1971.
The half-back started and finished the attack for Leigh's first try in Saturday's final against Hull Kingston Rovers and was then on hand to finish the game itself with an 84th-minute drop goal - the first of his career - in golden point extra time to make the score 17-16, all with his dad and head coach Adrian watching on.
"It's one of those ones where I can slowly check it off the list," Lam said when asked post-match how it felt to join his parent as a Cup winner.
"He's got a lot on his resume, and he likes to remind me all the time.
"It's nice to have one back so he can't use that anymore. There are a few others I'm trying to chase down there now."
Lachlan's Lance Todd award is something Adrian was not honoured with. Instead, it was Wigan Warriors team-mate Kris Radlinski who picked up that particular accolade in the 21-12 win over St Helens at Murrayfield in 2002.
Unsurprisingly though, his father was one of the first people to approach the match-winner after his team-mates on the field had finished mobbing him, with the pair sharing a lengthy embrace in the immediate aftermath of the dramatic victory.
Leopards boss Lam revealed afterwards he had a feeling when full-back Gareth O'Brien, who had missed an early drop-goal attempt in extra time, shaped to pass his son the ball that the game-clinching moment was imminent.
That led to an outpouring of emotion from the man who has been a guiding hand for his son's rugby career from when Lachlan was first running around with a ball in his hands.
"It was a real special moment," Lam senior said. "There were times this week where I thought about how lucky I am to have him here for my team and playing well.
There was a really weird moment where we went to take the field goal, the ball came back to him and I just thought 'he's going to win us the game here' - and it happened like that and I was like 'what's just happened?'.
"There was a really weird moment where we went to take the field goal, the ball came back to him and I just though 'he's going to win us the game here' - and it happened like that and I was like 'what's just happened?'.
"I'm really proud of him, but I've coached him since he was six and the thing that has gone through my mind is we've been in the complete opposite position a number of times and been heartbroken.
"That was like a serendipity moment, so I'm very proud of him and very proud of the team."
The Challenge Cup triumph follows on from Papua New Guinea international Lam recently extending his contract with Leigh until the end of the 2025 season, underlining how much he has become a part of the Leopards revolution since joining midway through last year.
Having gained NRL experience with 31 appearances for Sydney Roosters after coming through the youth system at the 15-time Australian premiers, the 25-year-old has quickly established himself as a presence on and off the field at Leigh Sports Village and that is something he is relishing.
"I've got a bigger role than I had in the past at this club," Lam said. "I'm a leader in this team and I want to try to lead by my actions on the field, not just what I'm saying to the team.
"I think that's the biggest role, my leadership off the field as well as work hard on it."
With a third trophy in 18 months now in the bag for Leigh, following on from 2022's 1895 Cup and Betfred Championship Grand Final double, attention now switches back to the closing stages of the Betfred Super League campaign.
Bucking the trend for promoted sides, the Leopards are currently third on points difference with six games of the regular season remaining and face a blockbusting clash at home to leaders Catalans Dragons on Saturday live on Sky Sports.
There will be more than a few in this corner of the North-West now dreaming of adding Super League glory to cup success and Lam praised his team-mates for how they have continually defied the naysayers since Leigh's return to rugby league's top flight.
"The narrative has changed over the year," Lam said. "Speaking to a few close mates who play in the competition at the start of the year it was 'you might win that game; you might win that game'.
"But a month goes by, and we've won three of four; another month goes by, and we've won six of eight.
"We're working hard for each other, and good things come from hard work."
Watch Challenge Cup winners Leigh Leopards take on Super League leaders Catalans Dragons on Saturday, August 19 live on Sky Sports Arena from 2.30pm (3pm kick-off). Also stream on NOW.
