Castleford Tigers have been far below their typical standards this season, especially when you consider they were just minutes away from the playoffs last year but lost out to Leeds Rhinos on the final day of the season, and they’ve now been dragged into a relegation dog fight on account of Wakefield Trinity’s resurgence in form.
Trinity gave Cas a massive head start by losing their opening 14 games but they’ve now won four of their last six whereas Castleford have won four of seventeen under Andy Last’s leadership, having started the season with three losses under previous coach Lee Radford.
That’s led to a situation where the Tigers sit about Trin on account of a marginally better points difference, that margin being just 12 meaning a heavy defeat against Huddersfield on Friday night would see Cas drop to bottom with Wakefield not playing until Sunday.
Andy Last has been speaking with the press prior to that game and after the buzz of the news surrounding their impressive and shock loan move for Blake Austin had died down, Last discussed his team for the week with debuts to be handed out, a big injury update and also a worrying contract situation.
On Riley Dean being recalled to Warrington, Last said: “Obviously Blake Austin’s come in, it’s softened the blow of the Riley Dean recall.
“t was a bit of a disappointment. I was in the England get-together on Monday evening and the news broke whilst I was in the meeting.
“Riley has been good for us, he’s had five weeks of playing Super League rugby week in, week out. He’ll be better for that experience and he thanked us for the opportunity and thanked us for giving him a crack, obviously, in the competition that he wants to play in.”
Dean had been one of a number of players that Cas had recruited mid-season with another loanee being Greek international Billy Tsikrikas, who debuted last Friday against Hull KR.
Last did confirm though that Tsikrikas would be joined this Friday by the clubs other overseas recruits Tasipale Charbel and Liam Horne: “We’ll see both of them on Friday night.”
One man who won’t be seen this Friday and potentially for the rest of the season is hooker Paul McShane, with PNG international Horne brought in to provide cover as the former Man of Steel winner could be out for the season.
On McShane, Last said: “No he’s still a couple of weeks away, highly unlikely that he’ll play again this season and so you know it’s tougher for Macca and he’s got to see the specialist.
“It’ll be unlikely that he’ll play for us this season with the nature of the injury and obviously it being a fairly significant one to the forearm, but he’s doing everything he can but it’s unlikely that he’ll play.
“If we get him back for a couple of games at the end of the season then obviously it’s a bonus but it’s looking unlikely.”
Another key talking point and rumour circling around the Jungle had been that second-rower Kenny Edwards had requested an early termination, something Last explained.
“Kenny is with us until the end of the season, those discussions are ongoing but he is fully committed. With regards to his contracts, the next couple of years, we’ll broach that subject at the end of the season as and when the time is right but at the moment he’s fully committed to obviously fulfilling his contract obligations here.
“We were aware of it, we were aware of it. Some issues in terms of family, he’s been here a long time etc. So we’ve had the discussions, obviously we’ve been kept in the loop with Kenny but like I say he’s contracted and he’s fully committed to the end of the season.”
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers secure two players as they step up recuitment
