Castleford Tigers slipped to another Super League defeat meaning that they remain winless in the competition after six rounds and fans have understandably reacted with frustration and anger.
In game one of Rivals Round, it was Leeds Rhinos who headed to The Jungle with Rohan Smith’s side under plenty of pressure too after losing back-to-back games, but the Rhinos ended up as comfortable 26-6 winners after a Castleford collapse in the second half.
Craig Lingard’s side dominated the first forty and did everything but score, forcing six goal-line drop-outs as they piled the pressure on the visitors but ultimately it was to no avail with the teams heading into the changing rooms scoreless.
It perhaps should have been Leeds to fatigue quicker considering the amount of defence they had got through but the second half saw Castleford’s stranglehold on the game slip almost immediately with Paul Momirovski scoring after just two minutes.
The centre doubled up ten minutes later and more points soon followed with Rhyse Martin slotting two over from a penalty and then minutes later he was called into action to kick the conversion for Lachie Miller’s simple try.
Josh Simm capitalised on a bouncing ball to ensure the Tigers weren’t nilled but Man of the Match Lachie Miller ensured there would be no comeback when he darted through the middle to offer a supporting line for Brodie Croft and score in front of the Rhinos fans.
Leeds are quite often a team of two halves, as seen in their victory over Leigh Leopards, but it was the Castleford last night that put up two hugely contrasting forty-minute performances. In the first half, they were incredibly dominant before then being dominated themselves and that’s led to plenty of questions from the fans.
“Why are we even bothering?” – Castleford Tigers fans react to sixth straight Super League loss
The wasteful nature of the first half will be one of the things that irritated many fans with Castleford Tigers practically camped in the Leeds Rhinos’ forty for the majority of the first period.
Leeds Rhinos were forced into making over 200 tackles in that first half, such was the Tigers dominance, and that inability to turn pressure into points led to some fans label the performance an “absolute joke”.
Absolute joke, could only turn up for 40 minutes against our rivals, couldn’t score after about 7 repeat sets on their line…
— Matthew 🍻 (@matthewxsutton) March 28, 2024
The lack of points saw several fans point to what they thought was a lack of quality in the half-back area, one noting that last night’s starters Jacob Miller and Danny Richardson “wouldn’t get in decent Championship sides”.
Dreadful halfback combination. Miller and Richardson wouldn’t get in decent championship sides.
— Michael Bates (@MikeB237) March 28, 2024
Our 6 and 7 are so bad. Doesn’t matter which combination, all 3 are particularly poor.
— MDT (@TigerTowns88) March 28, 2024
A lack of quality in the squad was a common complaint from fans with calls for money to be spent on new signings or at least in the loan market being the suggestions of many.
One fan posted: “We really lack any sort of quality across the park. So slow and predictable in attack, half backs are so poor, apart from maybe London we probably have the smallest, softest pack in the league, We have no impact from the bench Surely we are looking at the loan market.”
We really lack any sort of quality across the park.
So slow and predictable in attack, half backs are so poor, apart from maybe London we probably have the smallest, softest pack in the league, We have no impact from the bench
Surely we are looking at the loan market— Adamcas87 (@adamcas87) March 28, 2024
Just take this in, you are charging people £30 to watch that. Fans that have stayed loyal, followed through relegation, turmoil, embarrassments, controversies… they’re still turning up. And you’re charging them £30.
Just poor at all levels.
— Steve Haslam (@StevenJHaslam) March 28, 2024
Another fan posted about the club’s poor recruitment before taking the drastic call for more fan protests with the aim of removing the club’s directors.
“The only way @ctrlfc will get a grip is if fans protest again. The only constant is the out of touch ideas, dinosaurs at the top. Go now before you kill the club,” one fan posted.
The only way @ctrlfc will get a grip is if fans protest again.
The only constant is the out of touch, out of ideas, dinosaurs at the top.
Go now before you kill the club
— Mark F (@Pleyndamour) March 28, 2024
We have signed a load of dross. Wasting quota spots again on players sat in the reserves.
Lowest I have felt as a Cas fan ever. We were better in the seasons we went down.
I want the Directors gone and a fresh start.
— Mark F (@Pleyndamour) March 28, 2024
Others took aim at Craig Lingard with calls for the head coach to go, whilst another questioned: “why are we even bothering?”
At least lingard kept his 100% record. Played 6 lost 6 and never looked like winning one. Why are we even bothering.
— jonny haigh (@jonny120305) March 28, 2024
Get that PE teacher sacked now
— Sully (@kieransull123) March 28, 2024
“Worst team in Super League history,” was the claim of another fan and that was supported somewhat by the claim that Lingard had been left with a poor squad.
At least lingard kept his 100% record. Played 6 lost 6 and never looked like winning one. Why are we even bothering.
— jonny haigh (@jonny120305) March 28, 2024
Short term pain for long term gain they said. Pain will be long term watching this shower.
Board have absolutely shit on Lingard with this squad.— snap (@SnapskiKnee) March 28, 2024
Castleford Tigers will be back at The Jungle again next week when they host Salford Red Devils and if they’re to lose a seventh straight Super League game then the atmosphere could turn very sour, particularly given they play Wigan two weeks on the bounce after that.
