Castleford Tigers receive big boost as key player returns to training

Pre-season is well underway with three fixtures rounding off 2022 and a whole host of games set to start this weekend as we build towards the start of the 2023 campaign.

Following the World Cup pre-season has been different for all sides with some squad decimated without their international players whilst for others it’s been business as usual.

One side who didn’t necessarily have lots of players missing due to the World Cup, but did have their coach missing was Castleford Tigers.

Head Coach Lee Radford was part of the coaching staff for a Samoa side that made the final and with celebrations marking the first ever Pacific island nation making the final Radford hasn’t been present all pre-season, missing the New Year’s Eve clash with local rivals Featherstone Rovers.

Despite that one man who has returned and Tigers fans will be delighted to see back is Danny Richardson who has a horrible season for injuries in 2022, but heading into 2023 he’s been pictured back training in the gym.

After suffering a serious neck injury in round one – a problem that he may never fully recover from – the Castleford Tigers halfback fought his way back to full fitness only to succumb to another devastating injury late in the season against Salford Red Devils.

That left Richardson facing a long spell on the sidelines with the news being confirmed that he had torn both his ACL and MCL.

At the time Richardson shared a message on Instagram: “Disappointing end to the 2023 season.

“Gutted and frustrated after tearing my ACL and MCL last week. Not had much luck this year an no doubt there’s more challenging months ahead.

“Just another low on the rollercoaster of RL”

The 26-year-old playmaker is now back on the roller-coaster with the Castleford Tigers social media team sharing images of his return to their Twitter page.

😃 @DannyRich96 in the house

💪 On the road to recovery#COYF pic.twitter.com/wGkqDWZnQX

— Castleford Tigers (@CTRLFC) January 10, 2023

Richardson will likely still be rehabbing from the injury that he suffered in late August but the fact he’s back in the building will only serve as a positive motivation for him and his teammates as they head into the 2023 campaign.