JOHN Asiata has made a weekly promise to himself he hopes doesn’t get broken when Leigh Leopards face a first ever Super League play-off semi-final at champions Wigan on Saturday.

Adrian Lam’s side is 80 minutes away from a historic Grand Final debut at Old Trafford on October 12.

Facing them are opponents, winners of FIVE successive pieces of silverware since Leigh claimed the Challenge Cup at Wembley in August 2023: League Leaders Shield (twice), 2023 Grand Final, 2024 Challenge Cup and World Club Championship.

Leopards also haven’t won on Wigan soil since 1983. But while a daunting task Asiata is determined to meet it head on to delay what will be an emotional departure from the club.

“In the last 11-12 weeks of so we have been under the pump,” says Leigh’s Hull FC bound skipper. “Every game has been a Grand Final.

“Any time we slipped up we could have missed this opportunity. I have kept saying to myself, this is not going to be the last (game).

“So, I am going to keep saying that,” added Asiata, an NRL Grand Final winner with North Queensland Cowboys in 2015. “Hopefully, it doesn’t stop here.

“When I was injured it felt like time was going very slow. But since I have been back it has flown by.”

A relentless campaign in 2023 saw Asiata struggling for fitness at the business end. He didn’t feature in the remaining four fixtures including a play-off defeat at Hull KR.

Hamstring, calf and knee problems restricted him to three appearances in the first half of this term.

But he’s now showing the form that persuaded Hull to offer him a lucrative three-year deal starting in 2025.

“I would love to have played more games this year but things happen for a reason,” said the 31-year-old loose forward. “But in that time the boys grew and developed.

“Now the body is good. I worked really hard to make sure when I came back I didn’t miss any more games. I didn’t want to be on the bench the whole season.

“Wigan is going to be massive for us. But it is what finals footie is what it is about: the best versus the best.

“Now, we are here we have got to make sure we make the most of it.”

Unfortunately for the Leopards they will be without record breaking winger Josh Charnley and consistent second row Frankie Halton.

Charnley-now happily recovered, has still been stood down following last week’s nasty looking neck injury in victory at Salford. Halton’s failed head injury assessment also sees him unable to feature.

So, Lam will be hopeful Kai O’Donnell is fit again after a worrying blow to a kidney in victory over St Helens.