David Armstrong hailed Leigh Leopards team-mate Lachlan Lam as a key part of his flying start to life in the Betfred Super League.
The former Newcastle Knights full-back has lit up the competition in his first four games for the Leopards, underlined by a player-of-the-match performance in Thursday’s 22-22 draw at Hull FC.
Armstrong’s electric pace and ability to carve open defences have won him plenty of admirers already, yet the Australian was quick to credit Leopards half-back Lam as a big reason he is able to do what he does.
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“He’s a great player and I try to get around him as much as I can on the field because things just happen around him,” Armstrong told Sky Sports.
“He’s one of those players who can break a game by himself, so I’m very lucky to be running off the back of him.
“A lot of it, I like just playing off the back of Lachy and Gaz [O’Brien] playing to structure.
“I just love playing eyes-up footy, at the end of the day, and seeing what I see and making the most of that.”
Lam’s father and Leigh head coach Adrian Lam has been impressed with the natural instinct shown by Armstrong, who scored two tries in the second half of the draw at the MKM Stadium which put the visitors top of the early Super League standings.
Yet it was the fortitude shown by Armstrong which earned the praise from the former Papua New Guinea international after barely training in the build-up.
“People don’t know, but he hasn’t trained for two weeks,” Lam told Sky Sports.
“But we made a decision in the morning he was going to play and he wanted to play, so we included him at the last minute.
“It’s quite courageous for him to get off his sickbed and play.”
Armstrong has racked up some impressive statistics so far as well, with five clean breaks – the joint-highest in Super League ahead of the remaining Round 4 fixtures – and 21 tackle busts, plus an average gain of 7.93 metres per carry.
The 23-year-old could not be happier with how his three-year contract with Leigh has started and has vowed to keep improving.
“It’s been great so far,” Armstrong said. “They’re a great bunch of blokes and a great coaching staff.
“I’m still a young fella, still learning my way in the game, so it’s just about development and keep getting better each week.”
