Christmas wishes: What Castleford Tigers should wish for going into 2022

With it being Christmas day, we thought we’d look at what every Super League club would wish for this Christmas – within reason of course. To begin with we’re contemplating Lee Radford’s Castleford Tigers as a new era beckons the Jungle. So, what would the Tigers wish for this Christmas?

The last eight years have been the best eight years experienced at the Jungle for some time, and certainly the best period in Castleford’s Super League history. After spending time yoyoing in and out of the top flight in the early 2000s, Castleford had begun making a real push for play-off rugby in 2009 but never really kicked on even after the arrival of Super League winning coach Ian Millward.

So, Daryl Powell’s arrival was exactly what the Tigers needed in 2013. He brought exciting attacking rugby to the Jungle whilst developing players who had been written off previously. His first full year in charge saw the Tigers secure a place in a major final for the first time in the Super League era as they took on Leeds at Wembley before finishing in the top four a win away from the League Leaders’ Shield. In the years after, the Tigers became the entertainers before peaking in 2017 finishing top of the league and playing in the Grand Final where defeat to Leeds again greeted them. Then started a gradual decline, but Castleford still kept themselves firmly in the play-off picture making it to a major final again in 2021 losing to St Helens at Wembley. At the end of last season, Powell moved on to Warrington culminating in the arrival of Lee Radford but it was certainly a success spell for the former Leeds boss at the Jungle full of highs and brilliant rugby, but there was one thing missing: a win in a major final.

That’s exactly what Tigers fans will be dreaming off with exciting signings coming in and a coach with past success in major finals taking the reins. Capable of ending Castleford’s major final hoodoo having ended Hull FC’s Wembley curse with back-to-back Challenge Cups against big sides in the shape of Warrington and Wigan, if he can bring that kind of ruthless winning mentality to the Tigers in 2022, they can really begin to dream of getting to a final and not having to suffer the anguish of another defeat.

The last time Castleford fans enjoyed winning either of the major finals was back in 1986 with a Yorkshire Cup triumph in 1992 and a Regal trophy success in 1994 doing little to appease their desire to win a major final. So, if there’s anything Castleford could wish for in 2022, it’s that Radford will be the man who ends their wait for success in the major final.