JOE Ofahengaue’s decision to move 9,000 miles mid-season in pursuit of his rugby league ambitions is paying off as Leigh Leopards took a step closer to a maiden Betfred Super League grand final appearance.
The Tonga international prop swapped Parramatta Eels for the Leopards after being granted an early release from his contract in April, and soon established himself as a cornerstone of the club’s pack.
Ofahengaue and his fellow forwards helped power Leigh to a 26-10 win over Wakefield Trinity in the first Super League elimination play-off on Friday, and the 30-year-old could not be happier with life on these shores as part of Adrian Lam’s team.
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.@LeighLeopardsRL are through to the 2025 #SuperLeague Semi-Finals! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/sU9CHbSA4f
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) September 26, 2025
“Rugby league is my life,” Ofahengaue told BBC Five Live Sports Extra. “Coach speaks about that all the time…and we have to move halfway across the world to do that.
“It’s a sport I love and I want that winning feeling, being coached under Adrian. I’m really excited for what we can do next week, but I’m going to enjoy this win with the boys.
“It’s an amazing feeling. Our squad has worked really hard to get to this point this season.
“To come out and put in a first 40 minutes like that, being relentless and ruthless, I couldn’t be more proud of the playing group and the coaches.”
The victory over sixth-place Trinity at Leigh Sports Village saw the Leopards set up a ‘Battle of the Borough’ showdown with reigning champions Wigan Warriors in next week’s semi-final.
Leigh, who finished the regular season in third, have already beaten their neighbours in two of their three Super League meetings so far this year.
They include a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Warriors at The Brick Community Stadium in the opening round of the campaign back in February.
Leigh were trounced 38-0 by Wigan when they met at the same stage and same venue in last year’s play-offs, but Leopards forward Robbie Mulhern insisted that is far from their minds as they aim for a first appearance in the Old Trafford showpiece.
First Semi-Final is confirmed and it’s a battle of the borough! 🍒 🐆@WiganWarriorsRL and @LeighLeopardsRL only have 80 minutes left to fight their way to the 2025 Grand Final 🏅#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/t7bTaM0zuj
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) September 26, 2025
“We’re not really thinking about last year,” Mulhern, who started for Leigh in the 2024 semi-final defeat, told BBC Five Live Sports Extra.
“It’s a completely different team, but we know we’re probably going to have to be even better than we were [against Wakefield] to get a result against Wigan.
“They’re a champion side with unbelievable players and a lot of x-factor.
“We’re under no illusions about how tough it’s going to be, but it’s something we’re right up for.”