Ex-Castleford Tigers man signs deal Down Under after Super League exit

Former Castleford Tigers second-rower Elie El-Zakhem has found a new club Down Under after being spotted training with an NRL club.

The Lebanese international left Wheldon Road at the end of the 2024 season after just one year with the club, cutting short his tw0-year deal.

Having joined from North Sydney Bears, El-Zakhem would make 26 appearances for Cas and quickly become a fan favourite for his high tackle rate and his brilliant offload game, ranking joint-third with Nene Macdonald on that count.

He also ranked 11th for the most number of completed tackles in Super League so it perhaps came as no surprise when he was seen training with an NRL outfit earlier this week.

El-Zakhem was pictured training with North Queensland Cowboys but it was unclear if he was on a train-and-trial deal or if he’d even made the Townsville-based outfit’s top 30.

It’s now been clarified that neither of those is true with El-Zakhem signing for another club for the 2025 season.

Former Castleford Tigers man makes Queensland Cup move

That other club, admittedly, is the Cowboys’ affiliated Queensland Cup side Mackay Cutters who are coached by a face familiar to Super League with Adam Cuthbertson taking that role back in August.

El-Zakhem’s move to Mackay was confirmed by the club on their Instagram page where it was simply confirmed that the former Castleford Tigers man had signed for the 2025 season.

By linking up with the Cutters, there’s a chance that El-Zakhem could force his way into the NRL outfit should he perform well enough in the Queensland Cup.

If he did, he’d join fellow former Super League man Kai O’Donnell who signed with North Queensland Cowboys and recently gave his first interview after signing with his former boyhood club.

El-Zakhem has yet to play in the NRL but aged 26, he’s heading towards his prime years and having taken to life in Super League on the pitch so swimmingly, perhaps he could force his way into contention.

Having cut his time with Castleford Tigers short, El-Zakhem confirmed homesickness was the reason when speaking to League Express earlier this month.

Now back Down Under, he looks set to flourish once again.

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