LACHLAN Lam is 80 minutes away from adding the family name to an exclusive club of dad-and-son combinations to have lifted the Betfred Challenge Cup.
Lam junior was a month away from his fourth birthday when the ‘old man’ helped Wigan to success over St Helens at Murrayfield in 2002.
“Sometimes he just comes out with it when he needs to get one up on you,” laughed Lam junior of his father’s success in the Scottish capital.
“I don’t think I have ever watched the full game but I have seen highlights.”
Lam, 25, has been one of Leopards’ stand-out performers in 2023, riding high in the chase for most Super League assists and one of five Leigh stars in the top 20 Man of Steel rankings.
The Papua New Guinea international, just like his dad, is also a chip off the oldish block for the way that he plays.
“Dad was a great organiser and one of his biggest strengths was getting a team round the park,” said the Leopards’ highly rated scrum-half.
“He had the ability to pick defences apart and win games through that. His smarts as a half-back are probably what I see differently to everyone else.
“However, I don’t get to think about it too much anyway when he is telling you how good he was!”
With his dad a driving force for Sydney Roosters, Queensland and then Wigan, his son seemingly was always destined for a career in the sport.
However, Lam said: “I have always loved rugby league and always played it, growing up with friends.
“I never felt forced to play it. So, I never felt pressure because I loved it for what it was since I was a kid.”
Part of that love was gleaned as a toddler from a brief stint at Wigan St Patricks.
“I must have been only five or six and played for a couple of years before I went back to Australia,” he explained.
“I remember playing for St Pats but not for how long, or details of the games.”
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Despite his dad’s Challenge Cup history - he was also a runner-up in 2004 -and UK links, Lam reckons the competition’s magic resonates more with some of his teammates.
“A lot of the boys understand it way more than me,” he confirmed. “I just listen, turn up and play like it is every other week.
“They have been chasing games like this for their whole career. It is my first crack at it. It does mean a lot to me but it means as much to everyone else.”
Lam’s recent confirmation of a two-year contract extension is great news for the Leopards and the player.
“The challenging part of making the decision was that my friends and family are back in Australia,” he said.
“But I am here with my partner and we have made great friends so we are enjoying it.
“There were offers to go back but the offer here made more sense. I am still riding the wave of playing with so much confidence.
“You put all those things together and it made it pretty easy in the end to stay.
“I didn’t originally sign up for Leigh to come over here and lose. So, myself and the rest of the boys are not surprised by how well we have gone.
“But we have worked very hard, to earn each other’s trust.”
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