New Castleford Tigers recruit Sam Wood has revealed to Serious About Rugby League that former Fords boss Andy Last was the man who got the ball rolling on his switch to West Yorkshire from Hull KR.
Wood spent two seasons at Craven Park, in which he made 33 appearances for the Robins. This off-season, he signed a three-year deal to take him from Craven Park to the Mend-A-Hose Jungle; and speaking exclusively to SARL, Wood broke down how the move came about.
“I was off-contract at the end of the year,” he said. “Me and Willie had a few honest conversations early on in the year because I was playing quite regularly and I said ‘is there anything at KR for me’, but he couldn’t guarantee me a starting role.”
He added: “I want to be a starting figure, I want that sort of guarantee and I want someone to instil that trust in me to be a starting player for the side.
He also revealed former Castleford boss Andy Last was actually the man who got the ball rolling with the transfer.
“It was actually Andy Last who approached me. He said he wanted me to become that strike centre for him,” said Wood.
Andy Last started the 2023 campaign as Castleford’s assistant coach, however he was thrust into the top job following Lee Radford’s departure; however Last’s reign didn’t last long as he was sacked in August.
Last was replaced by former Castleford player Danny Ward, but coming into the 2024 season the Fords will be led by former Batley boss, and Danny Ward’s assistant coach, Craig Lingard; and Wood was full of praise for his new boss.
“Craig’s a really good fella, a good coach, smart guy. He did really good things with Batley over the last couple of years, getting to a Grand Final with a squad with not much budget as well, compared to the likes of Leigh and Featherstone; so he’s done a wonderful job at Batley.”
Lingard was involved with the Fords last season, as he came in as an assistant coach under Andy Last, but also steered the ship as head coach of Batley Bulldogs-where he guided his team to the 1895 Cup Final. Lingard also took the Bulldogs to the Million Pound Game in 2022.
Whilst Wood suggested Lingard is a great on-field coach, he also highlighted how Lingard is with the playing group at Wheldon Road: “He’s a great people person and that’s what you want sometimes, you want people to look after you as a person as well as a player and that will get the best out of me.”
