According to reports from Australia, Adrian Lam, head coach of the Leigh Leopards, has unexpectedly resigned from his role as assistant coach for Australia. He is set to be replaced by Justin Holbrook, former St Helens boss.
This development comes as a surprise, especially considering Lam’s previous statements in May, where he expressed his intention to remain in the role until the 2026 World Cup. Lam had emphasized his commitment to working alongside head coach Mal Meninga in their pursuit of securing a third consecutive World Cup victory for Australia.
Love Rugby League had quoted Lam saying, “I think he’s been extended by another three years which takes him to the next World Cup and no Australian coach has ever won three World Cups in a row, I’m going to be a part of that and he wants me to be a part of that.”
However, the latest reports indicate that Lam has stepped down, paving the way for Justin Holbrook to assume the assistant coach position.
According to reports from News Corp in Australia, both Adrian Lam and Michael Hagan, who have been part of the Australian set-up since 2016, are stepping down from their roles. This development comes as a surprise given Lam’s previous statements reported by Love Rugby League. However, the decision follows a significant defeat for Australia against New Zealand, where the Kiwis defeated them 30-0 in the Pacific Championships last year.
In their place, current Sydney Roosters assistant coach and former St Helens boss Justin Holbrook is set to take over as the new Australian assistant coach, while Brett White will retain his coaching position. This change also means that Holbrook will need to relinquish his current international role as head coach of Papua New Guinea, whom he guided to victory in the Pacific Bowl in 2023.
The vacancy in the PNG Kumuls head coaching role could potentially interest Adrian Lam, given his previous comments about maintaining ties in the NRL.
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