Castleford Tigers expecting flurry of signings

Earlier this week it was confirmed that Castleford Tigers had loaned in winger Louis Senior from Hull KR and Craig Lingard has now revealed that Senior could just be the first of “several more bodies”.

The team’s injury list hit figures of 15 following their loss to Salford Red Devils and the ban handed to Sylvester Namo has worsened the situation with the club down to their bare bones.

In fact, Cas have only been able to name a 19-man squad for this week’s Super League game against Wigan Warriors instead of the standard 21-man squad.

They have managed one loan signing this week though with winger Louis  Senior set to unite with twin Innes to form a lethal edge for the Tigers.

Lingard revealed to BBC Radio Leeds that Senior would hopefully be the first of many signings: “We were down to one out-and-out winger, so we needed to strengthen that department.

“We’re pleased to get him in for that initial two-week period, hopefully, it’s going to be longer than that,” Lingard said of Senior, before explaining the club’s efforts to recruit other players.

Lingard continued: “Conversations that we’ve had as a club with other clubs as well, have been, ongoing, hour by hour. Things change and things move. Unfortunately, we’ve not been able to bring anybody else in this week, and it’s not been through a lack of trying behind the scenes.

“We’re hoping there’s going to be a little bit more movement after this week and potentially early next week. We might get several more bodies in, but again, that depends on what happens this week in games and how our team has pulled through with players in respect of injuries and suspensions.

“As it stands at the minute, we are expecting a few more bodies in next week but as I said that could be more fluid based on what happens this weekend.”

Could Castleford Tigers make a signing before Friday’s game?

It’s clearly not been through a lack of trying that Castleford Tigers have failed to land another loan deal but they’re at the point where they simply need players, so they could have to be rash.

Lingard explained that because talks are still ongoing, they could theoretically sign someone and implement them into the squad to face Wigan on Friday, but there would be a consequence to it.

He revealed: “If we brought somebody in and we wanted to add him to the squad after that point, then we’d lose an interchange from the game on the Friday. So we could, theoretically, still do it after the deadline, which would be 12 o’clock today, but it would cost us an interchange if we brought anybody else into our 21-man squad.”

That deadline has obviously passed but the Castleford Tigers’ coach was asked if it was something he could see happening anyway, prompting another answer that will sadden Cas fans.

Lingard responded: “We’re trying, but I can’t see it happening to us realistically.”