Castleford Tigers have confirmed that they have entered a dual registration partnership with Championship side Batley Bulldogs, the two teams creating an even closer link for the 2024 campaign.
It comes as no real surprise to see the Tigers and Bulldogs link up given former Batley boss Craig Lingard has made the jump to take the head coach role at the Jungle.
Initially Lingard was appointed as Andy Last’s assistant coach, a role he did whilst still head coach of Batley for the second half of the 2023 season with a view to making the permanent switch in 2024,
With Andy Last then being dismissed it led to question marks over the status of Lingard, however the Super League side instead decided that he was the right man for the job and he now takes on his first head coaching gig in Super League.
Having been both a player and coach at Batley it marks no surprise that the two teams would naturally form a dual reg deal, something both sides announced this morning.
Castleford shared a statement reading: “Castleford Tigers are pleased to announce a Dual Reg agreement with Batley Bulldogs.
“This agreement will allow Tigers players to play for each club week to week as and when both clubs see fit. The Fords have created a squad with plenty of competition for places for 2024 and when they are not involved they will be able to play week in, week out.
“Batley are a club that our Head Coach, Craig Lingard, knows well, and he is pleased that the agreement has been made.”
Lingard himself then added: “I think it’s really important for our players if they aren’t playing first team for us, then they’re playing in competitive games elsewhere and I think the best place they can play is the Championship.
“Batley have proven over the last 3 or 4 season that they’re a top-end Championship club and have been competing up there for the play-offs and last year a Wembley final as well. Hopefully, it will help our players and hopefully help Batley out as well along the way.
“The quality of the Championship and the quality of the competition. I think some of the guys who maybe haven’t played Championship before might not have realised how tough that game is. It’s a little bit slower than what Super League is, and the contact area and wrestle area is sometimes more physical than what Super League is.
“I think certainly for our younger guys who are still trying to cement themselves in the first team are going out and getting some real good experience in the top-end championship is going to be vital for them and hopefully benefit them and benefit us long term as a club.”
“I’ve worked with Mark Moxon closely as an assistant coach to me being a head coach. So, we’re on the same wavelength. I know what he likes and he knows what I like to do as well and I won’t force any players on him and he has to play 2 or 3 of our players. If it doesn’t work for him or if it doesn’t work for Batley that week then it’s not going to be right for our players to go there. But we’ve got a real good working relationship, and we can be open and honest about which players are going to benefit Batley.”
Director of Rugby Operations Danny Wilson also noted: “It makes perfect sense given the relationship Craig Lingard has with the club and Mark the Head Coach, I’m really pleased.”
