LEIGH head coach Adrian Lam's first job as he begins his preparations for a return to Betfred Super League will be to get rid of nearly half the club's overseas players who helped the club gain promotion.

There are no restrictions in the Championship on the number of non-federation trained players and Lam packed his squad with foreigners after beginning recruitment late following the Centurions' relegation from Super League at the end of the 2021 season.

Lam had just seven players when he was appointed by Leigh last December and built his squad as the season progressed. Former Australian Test winger Blake Ferguson was among his high-profile recruits.

Of the 17 players that gained a 44-12 win over Batley in Sunday night's Championship Grand Final, 11 are from overseas and Lam must get that figure down to the maximum of seven permitted in Super League.

Leigh Journal: Edwin IpapeEdwin Ipape (Image: Richard Walker)

"There will be a little bit of a re-shuffle because we can't keep the quota positions that we have," said former Wigan head coach Lam.

"It's been an incredible challenge this year as we tried to prepare for Super League. You retain your best players and then recruit players that you can't guarantee a Super League contract to when you're talking Super League money.

"So I don't think this works, in my opinion. That's probably being a little bit political.

"It's too hard to prepare to go up into Super League and that's why so many teams go up and back down, they don't have an opportunity to build.

"We've tried to manage that process as we've gone along but it's been a really difficult one.

"I don't want to let go of anyone. They're all quality players and I love them all. They've all bought into what we're about."

Leigh are confident that Lam's son Lachlan, who joined the club from Sydney Roosters in July on a contract to the end of 2023, will be exempt from the quota after learning his rugby at Wigan St Patricks while his father was playing in Super League for the Warriors.

"He's done his three years here as a junior," Lam senior said. "Thank goodness we signed him at St Pats when I was playing here. That will be helpful for us."

Lam says the club have lined up a host of "quality players" for 2023 and, although he declined to reveal names, it is thought they include Leeds winger Tom Briscoe, Huddersfield centre Ricky Leutele and Warrington forwards Jack Hughes and Rob Mulhern.

And Lam says having a full pre-season will be an added benefit as the Centurions, who were relegated in 2021 after just one season back in the top flight, look to buck the yo-yo trend.

"We didn't have a pre-season last year," he added. "We recruited as the season went on so we get an opportunity to build an off-season with the team.

"We're into the part where it becomes no-excuse time."

Meanwhile, Lam will cut short his celebrations with his club to join up with the Australia national team on Friday as they prepare for the World Cup.

The former Papua New Guinea captain and coach is an assistant to Kangaroos boss Mal Meninga.