Castleford Tigers star signing set for debut this weekend

Castleford Tigers Head Coach Lee Radford has picked a 20-man Tigers squad to travel to Cumbria and the LEL Arena to face Whitehaven for a 3pm kick-off.

After the unfortunate cancellation of the Tigers’ game at Keighley Cougars last weekend in what should have been former star Jake Webster’s testimonial, Sunday will mark Cas’ second pre-season friendly and their first meeting with Haven since 2007 when the Tigers were fighting to get back into the Super League.

Having missed out on the opportunity to run out at Cougar Park, First Team regulars Liam Watts, George Griffin, Nathan Massey, Adam Milner, and Jordan Turner, along with Kenny Edwards, George Lawler, Alex Mellor, and Jake Mamo are in line to have their first hit-outs of 2023.

New addition to the squad Albert Vete will be looking to make an impression on potentially his first Cas appearance and youngsters Cain Robb and Jacob Hookem will be in familiar territory having represented Whitehaven during loan stints.

Full Squad:
Oliver Agar, Jack Broadbent, Kenny Edwards, Bureta Faraimo, Mahe Fonua, George Griffin, Jacob Hookem, George Lawler, Jake Mamo, Nathan Massey, Alex Mellor, Adam Milner, Muizz Mustapha, Cain Robb, Daniel Smith, Alex Sutcliffe, Jordan Turner, Albert Vete, Elliot Wallis, Liam Watts

The absence of spine players Niall Evalds, Gareth Widdop, Jacob Miller and Paul McShane is no surprise with Radford previously saying he would wrap them up in cotton wool on Tigers TV:

“There will be some players who won’t play who we can’t afford to get injured who will be wrapped up in cotton wool until our last friendly against Huddersfield.

“Our two halfbacks won’t be participating and probably won’t do until Huddersfield and Niall Evalds is probably in that bracket as well.

“Paul McShane will be wrapped up in cotton wool, he is really valuable and I’m not saying other blokes aren’t but he plays a specialist position where we haven’t got much depth.”