CHRIS Chester has completed three years as Leigh’s Director of Rugby and admits: “I didn’t realise how big the job was.”

Currently making final preparations for Leopards’ return to pre-season training later this month, Chessie told Journal Sport: “It’s been a heck of a journey.

“We had a plan which was over five years. We have achieved a lot of things in the first three years and are now looking forward to what the next few years look like.

“As Director of Rugby, you are constantly learning. There are things I didn’t think about when I first took on the job.

“It has been a learning curve. But I feel I am a better of director rugby I am now than when I first walked through the door.”

Would he ever consider a return to coaching? ‘Never say never,” added the former Wakefield Trinity and Hull KR boss.

“But this is probably the next best thing. I do have opinions and part of my role is to challenge some of the decisions we make.

“I will always give ‘Lammy’ my opinions; sometimes he will see good points or say ‘no, we are doing it my way.’”

Chester arrived with only a handful of players signed on for the club’s tilt at the Championship in 2021.

He was also charged with the search for a new head coach after the departure of previous interim and future Salford head coach, Kurt Haggerty.

With Adrian Lam eventually at the helm and an exciting new look squad, Leigh swept through the second tier, swopped Centurions for Leopards and became an instant hit on returning to Super League, topped off by Challenge Cup success.

Last season brought a first ever Super League Grand Final semi-final appearance and further feelgood factor upsurge.

The first Leigh players return to training on November 18. A week later is the official start for the whole group including new NRL signings: David Armstrong, Tesi Niu, Ben Condon and Isaac Liu.

While there has again been another close season overhaul of the squad, Chester expects future recruitment to be less dramatic.

“It is difficult (integrating large numbers of new players) for the coach. I have been there myself at Wakefield and Hull KR.

“The bigger picture is that these signings are hopefully going to be here for next four of five years.

“So, we will have stability going forward and don’t need to keep to making wholesale changes.”

Lachlan Lam will be excused a quick return as he’s still involved in Papua New Guinea’s international campaign, culminating this weekend with a Test against New Zealand to determine the make-up of next season’s Pacific Cup.

In skippering PNG to success over the Cook Islands in the Pacific Championship, Lam followed in dad Adrian Lam’s footsteps, making them only the second father and son from a major rugby league nation to captain their country and first for nearly 60 years.

*Leigh will play Catalans Dragons at next season’s Magic Weekend, expected to return to Newcastle after a two-year absence.

All fixtures will be confirmed later this month, but Journal Sport understands the two sides will contest their first Magic meeting.