Danny McGuire admits he was annoyed by the energy and desire Castleford Tigers showed when the game was lost against Hull FC on Thursday night. The Tigers found themselves 24-6 down on home soil against the Black and Whites with around 10 minutes left after being second best for much of the contest.
However, they found two tries, though Tex Hoy and Josh Simm to make the scoreline a little more respectable against the side who now sit second in the table, a point behind leaders Hull KR. Ultimately they were nothing more than consolation efforts, though, with the result all but beyond the Tigers at that point.
Castleford’s late efforts had McGuire questioning why his side couldn’t show that battle earlier in the contest, with the Tigers ultimately losing 24-14. It’s a defeat that ensures Castleford have won just one of their opening six Super League games and McGuire knows he has plenty of work to do.
“Not really to be honest,” the head coach said when asked whether he was encouraged by the Tigers’ late showing. “I think it’s easy when the game’s gone to show a little bit.
“Hull probably relaxed a little bit and it’s disappointing to see them find some energy late on. I want us to have that energy in minute one and to find it in 75 minutes actually annoys me even more to be honest.
“It’s not what we’re about and we’re just hurting ourselves with some of the decisions, some of the skill, some of the lack of execution, it’s nothing like what it looks like in practice. When I’m watching them train and do things in practice I get excited because I think we’re getting somewhere and then we just can’t transfer it into a game, when we’re under pressure and stress it falls apart.
“I need to work out why. I don’t know if it’s individually something we’re doing staff wise or the players just can’t do it, I’m not sure. We’re going to have to keep working, practising and educating and hopefully at some point we grasp it.”
Asked about the lack of desperation his Castleford Tigers side showed at points in the game, McGuire added: “That’s something that we need to work on to be able to have some pride and defend your line when you’re under pressure. It’s just too easy to score against us. We went down to 12 men, they moved the ball to our right edge and they scored. It’s just too easy.
“When we made a break Hull were desperate and they were chasing back. There was more desperation from them. Individually you have to take pride. This games about attitude and effort mixed in with a little bit of technical things but if you don’t get that right you can’t win and we don’t have enough players doing that.”
Full time at The Jungle.
We look forward onto our next fixture. pic.twitter.com/MppCw3aIy2
— Castleford Tigers (@CTRLFC) March 27, 2025
