JOHN Asiata may have now left Leigh Leopards - but the skipper and loose forward has spoken about the special place the club and town still have in his heart.

His season is not over yet - and he is proud to be pulling on the Samoa test jersey for the series against England.

He spoke to Leigh Journal in the build up to Sunday’s test match at Wigan.

(Image: John Clifton/SWpix.com)

MC: First of all John, how pleased are you to be involved with Samoa on this tour and test series?

JA: Yes. I am very honoured to be able to put this jersey back on and to be just amongst the group.

I’ve been in three of these camps previously and this will be my fourth.

There’s a lot of talent and to be here and just to be mentioned and then to be here in camp now it’s awesome.

MC: Sometimes when players move away from the NRL to play Super League, they can get overlooked for test teams. Are you pleased that this is not the case for this tour?

JA: Yes. It’s all on the individual to make sure that your performance is good. I knew it was going to be really tough to try and make this squad because I know the talent that is back home.

All I can do is do what I can control, really. And it’s all about performance, putting my best foot forward and everything else looks after itself.

When I got the phone call, I was very emotional because I know how much this would mean to my family, especially my dad. So yeah, it’s very, very special.

MC: Will there be coverage of this Test back home? Will your family be able to watch this match 12,000 miles away?

JA: Well, they won’t miss this. They don’t miss any games that I play, no matter where I am in the world, they make sure they tune In, whether it’s 2AM, they’re up and watching.

MC: And this is a special one as well as the international stage.

JA: Yeah, this is very special to the old man so he won’t be missing this one.

MC: You’ve got the inside track on the England players, playing against them week to week in Super League. Have the coaches been picking your brains?

JA: The coaching staff has done their input. I know my bits and pieces, but international footy is totally different to club land and the side they’ve picked, they’re talented squad.

And it’s not just from one team, there are a lot of talented players that probably missed out and that should be there as well, but I believe it’s a different ball game when it comes to representing your country. I know how much it’s going to mean to them, but I also know how much it’s going to mean to our boys as well.

They have travelled all this way to make sure that they can play this game, and I know our team is going to make sure we put our best foot forward.

MC: Are you surprised that there’s no Leigh players in the England squad – and I am maybe looking at Robbie Mulhern – but anybody in particular you think should have been picked?

JA: Yeah. Big Robbie had a great season this year and last year. He was hurt with injuries this year, but the man fought back really hard.

He is one of our top front rowers in Super League and he was probably the one that I was very surprised that wasn’t in the squad because.

We were talking weeks ago and I was saying, ‘well, I look forward to playing against you’ but when I saw the team come out, I messaged him and I was pretty gutted for him and I knew how much it would mean to him to be able to represent that jersey, but I know he’ll get his time.

(Image: Paul Currie/SWpix.com)

MC: After the year you had last year in terms of the frustration injury-wise cause is this another opportunity to have another crack at finishing off 2024 in some style.

JA: Yeah, I’m pretty pleased with how everything sort of ended this year. I had a lot of setbacks this year injury-wise and I think I was trying to push things too much to try and get back because I knew injuries for us at Leigh wasn’t the greatest.

We got the total opposite of what we had last year. So for me, especially being the captain and leader, it is hard to lead when you’re off the field, and I tried really hard to get back, and I did, but maybe I pushed it too much and then I pushed it again.

But I was glad I was able to finish 16 games this year so. That’s still a lot of rugby that I played this year.

And the way we finished the season, I think we finished really strong considering the way we started. I am just really happy that I’m in a good place at the moment and I’m ready to work.

MC: And there were some special times at the end - that win against St Helens and the win against in the play-offs at Salford. That capped off the way you had played from mid-season onwards?

JA: Yeah we played Grand Final footy pretty much from a long way out and had to win 10 out of the 12 that was left and any loss would have meant we missed any chance to have a go at the play-offs.

The way we finished showed how very strong and resilient the group is and it was amazing way to finish the year.

(Image: Will Palmer/SWpix.com)

MC: How much has Leigh meant to you these last three years because Leythers have really taken to you - and was it hard to say goodbye?

JA: Yeah, it’s been difficult but I’ve had a really long time to do my emotions throughout the year. Once I was back playing games it went faster and faster and the time went quick.

So it’s been amazing what Leigh has done for me and my family. Not just the club but the people in the community, the people that help me that are not part of the club.

There’s a lot of memories there that I’m going to cherish and keep forever.

It’s been a great three years, but I’ll be looking forward to coming back to the Leopards Den in 25.

The image of picking up that Challenge Cup at Wembley is always going to be there. That’s a very special moment for myself, the club and the town of Leigh.