Ex-Castleford Tigers star Luke Gale explains shock move to Championship club

Keighley Cougars have stunned fans with the announcement that former Man of Steel Luke Gale will be joining the club in 2023.

He won the Man of Steel in 2017 with Castleford Tigers and played in both the Grand Final and World Cup Final that year.

He was a Challenge Cup Final winner with Leeds Rhinos in 2020 and starred for Hull FC last year.

Described by many as the highest profile free agent around, Gale has stunned many by making the move to the Championship club.

Many expected him to join former club Bradford Bulls of Featherstone Rovers if he made this decision but it was Keighley who pulled off this major coup.

So, how did this come about? Gale has explained all on the club website.

“I feel that this will be a great fit for me,” admitted Gale.

“I want to come here to Keighley and help these lads compete within the Championship and with the squad we have got, we will definitely be pushing at the right end of the table.

“Things have been a bit different for me this season as it is the first team that I have ever gone into a pre-season without a deal at a club.

“I’ve met and spoken with Rhys a few times now and he is one of the best young coaches within the game right now and we just clicked straight away.

“I began my career at this level of the game with Doncaster and feel that I have now come full circle, and I can’t wait to see what the Championship brings this season as there isn’t one standout team and it will be a tough league.”