Grand final winner Asiata aims for Challenge Cup glory

Mark Staniforth | August 12, 2023

Inspirational captain John Asiata is prepared to pay a price for success if he leads Leigh to their first Challenge Cup title in over half a century against Hull KR at Wembley.

The vastly experienced 30-year-old Australian has learned to relish the relative anonymity of the British domestic competition having spent his early career coping with the glare of Australia’s higher-profile NRL.

But his stunning performances in the Leigh front row have helped transform his side into improbable double contenders, and made him a household name in a town starved of Challenge Cup success since 1971.

“The thing I love about the sport over here is that you can just walk around everywhere and no-one recognises you, you can just live your life,” said Asiata, looking forward to Saturday’s showpiece match.

“It’s a chilled environment, you can enjoy time with your family and not get bothered by other people. It’s been awesome to be able to come here and not have that pressure.

“That’s the biggest difference between here and the NRL. There’s a lot of media attention on you as a player whether things go right or wrong. Here, most of the criticism is what you put on yourself.”

Asiata’s signing from Brisbane Broncos in December 2021, when Leigh were shaping up for another second-tier season, was seen as a significant statement of intent by club owner Derek Beaumont as he prepared for another tilt at Super League.

And Asiata, who won a grand final with the North Queensland Cowboys in 2015, admitted it took some time to settle with his family off the field as he got to grips with his new environment.

“It was a move that I didn’t really understand at the time but now I’ve started to realise why I’m here and why I’ve been given the opportunity to play at this club,” added Asiata.

“It’s about bringing my experience and leadership, but also growing as a person not just on the field, but as a father to my kids and a husband to my wife.

“I’ve had to work hard with off-field stuff to make sure my family is OK and to make sure I can perform for my team. But I’ve been surrounded by a great bunch of blokes who I now call my family.

“Coming from Australia you don’t really think about these opportunities and I’ll be really proud to lead these guys out. It’s a very exciting time, not just for me and my family, but for the club.”