Last updated at 14:41, Wednesday, 24 February 2010

BIG-NAME SIGNING: Robbie Paul in action for Leigh in the Northern Rail Cup DAVE WILLIAMS

THE club that has seen by far the biggest change over the close-season is without a doubt Leigh Centurions.

One minute relegated, the next minute reprieved, a new coach, new players and, most of all, a new confidence – this is not the same side that struggled so much last year.

That new man in charge, Ian Millward, is not foolish enough to expect massive changes in an instant, and defeat at lower-division York in the Northern Rail demonstrated not everything is sorted as of yet.

Since that game, however, the Centurions have strengthened a squad already bolstered by the new dual-registration system.

Warrington’s Challenge Cup winner Tyrone McCarthy, along with fellow Wolves Matty Blythe and Lee Mitchell and St Helens prop Jacob Emmitt, will all ply their trade at the Sports Village on occasion this season, in a formidable line-up.

The biggest name is obviously former Bradford Bulls skipper Robbie Paul, who even at the age of 34, will have a lot to offer in the Championship.

Injury may rule out forwards Ricky Bibey, Mike Morrison Steve Nash and Chris Hill from the early season games – which Millward admits is a big blow to his plan of dominating in the pack – but Leigh should still be a team fighting for the play-offs, rather than battling against relegation.

“I didn’t really see much of the team last year,” said the former St Helens and Wigan boss, who was brought back over from Australia for a second spell at the club he began his English coaching career with.

“The team ran second last and we have kept the majority of the players, so I have just tried to come in with a fresh outlook on them and hopefully I can improve them as players.

“Everyone has been given a fresh start and I have been looking at what is in front of me without any preconceived ideas about what they did in 2009.

“They have a good attitude, but we are at a very early stage. They are quite raw and there is a lot of development work to be done with them as a team and technically-wise, but that is all part of the challenge.

“Like everyone involved with the club, I was pretty disappointed when they finished second-bottom.

“But what we are trying to do is not look back, but look forward.

“There is an opportunity now for everyone to make things a bit more consistent here.”

Only one player survives at Leigh from Millward’s first spell in charge, veteran full-back Stuart Donlan, though like the Australian, he has been elsewhere since.

That makes the idea of a fresh start all the more likely and gives grounds for Leigh’s hopes of a Super League place come 2012 – though a trophy will need to be in the bag before to even guarantee them a chance.

Millward is confident the structure is in place behind the scenes for such a bid and knows it is now imperative to do the job on the field as well.

“It is a beautiful stadium we have here,” added the coach, who admitted he knows little to nothing about all Leigh’s opponents this season.

“There is a lot of work done in development and in the schools, so they are really trying to put the infrastructure behind it.

“Obviously they need to keep working at that and, equally obviously, the team needs to improve. Running second-last is not going to get you into Super League.”

First published at 13:10, Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk