ADRIAN Lam is tipping Leigh prop Tom Amone for end of season international recognition.

Amone, 27, has been one of the top front rowers in 2023 as Leopards have swept into outright second place in Super League and in to the Challenge Cup semi-finals.

The former West Tigers and Sydney Rabbitohs player didn’t feature for his country in last season’s World Cup.

But head coach Lam believes Leigh’s Tongan favourite, who recently made his 50th Leigh appearance, should earn a call-up for Kristian Woolf’s Sea Eagles for the historic three match series with England in the autumn.

Agreeing Amone is one of the competition’s form props Lam added: “Tom would be in a really good position to be potentially considered.

“He missed the World Cup but hopefully he will get that bit of recognition for what he has done for us this year.”

Amone and his Leigh team mates have attracted admiring glances this year with NRL clubs reportedly coveting Edwin Ipape and Lachlan Lam.

Winger Josh Charnley tops the Super League charts for tries and metres made. Captain Josh Asiata leads the ways for most carries while Lam and Gareth O’Brien are second and third in the assists table behind Saints Jack Welsby.

But Lam senior is confident the squad will not be broken up at the end of the year and is already looking at the bigger picture.

Lam added: “I know we are living in the now. I am concerned about now but we are also building for next year.

“No one out of this group is going to be leaving so we are looking at building our destiny for the next five years.”

Leigh return to action on Sunday looking to make it third time lucky against Salford Red Devils this season and win a first ever competitive match at the AJ Bell Stadium.

The only previous victory was a friendly success to mark the stadium’s opening in January 2012.. Prior to that 1983 at the Willows marked Leigh’s last win on Salford soil.

Amone’s front row partner, Robbie Mulhern, is expected to return after missing the Castleford game with a rib injury.

Kumuls ace Ipape should also feature. He sat out more than half of Leigh’s 34-16 win at Castleford with a groin issue but Lam is confident the hooker will feature against the Red Devils.

Salford, twice winners at Leigh Sports Village this year, have lost four successive games including last Sunday’s 16-14 home defeat by Leeds.

*Leigh Leopards look to cement top spot in group two of the women’s Super League when they host Bradford at Twist Lane on Sunday (kick-off 2pm). The side’s latest triumph was a 44-0 whitewash of Castleford.