Castleford Tigers entered the Super League as one of the founder clubs back in 1996, and have since become a staple part of the league.
It started rather fractiously though. The club initially blocked a merger with Wakefield Trinity and Featherstone Rovers to form Calder.
On the pitch, things were not going well, and they sacked Head Coach John Joyner after three years in charge. Stuart Raper stepped up, and things didn’t go much better. They only just avoided relegation in 1997.
The Tigers stuck by Raper, and it paid dividends as evidence was emerging he was building something good there. They finished sixth that in 1998.
Castleford continued to rise and finished fifth in 1999. They qualified for the playoffs, and then they repeated the feat in 2000.
Danny Orr started and ended his playing career at Castleford, before becoming an assistant in 2013. Credit: News Images
This was in no doubt thanks to the likes of 2000 Man of Steel winner Adrian Vowles. They also had local talent with the likes of Danny Orr.
However, it was all to come to an end, as Raper left in 2001 to coach Wigan Warriors.
What followed was a steady decline under Graham Steadman. By the time he left in 2004, it was too late for Gary Mercer to save them. They would be out of the top tier for the first time in 30 years.
Yo-yoing between the Super League and the Championship
It didn’t take them long to get back into the Super League, after they won the 2005 Championship playoffs. Despite this, Dave Woods would leave the club, as Castleford wanted a more experienced coach to take them forward. He was replaced by Terry Matterson.
They went straight back down, despite only finishing second bottom. As new club Catalans Dragons were given immunity from relegation, the Tigers had the unfortunate fate of dropping back down to the Championship.
In keeping with the recent pattern, they eased to promotion after only losing one match all season. Despite finishing bottom the next year, Castleford were not relegated because of the licencing rules that were being implemented.
Rise back to prominence
Through all of the promotion and relegation, the club had stuck by Matterson through the whole time. And it paid off too as Cas were back in the playoffs by 2009.
Eventually, Matterson left at the end of the 2011 season to take a new coaching role in Australia. His replacement was a man who had some serious Super League pedigree in Ian Millward. The Australian had led St Helens to two Super League titles, and had also taken charge of Wigan Warriors.
However, his reign never really got off the ground, and he was sacked in 2013 after a run of just one win in 18 matches. His replacement was former Leeds Rhinos Head Coach Daryl Powell. Former player Orr was his assistant.
Powell’s first full season in charge almost saw Castleford finish top of the Super League for the first time in their history. But a defeat at Catalans Dragons on the final weekend saw them drop to fourth.
Daryl Clark won te 2014 Man of Steel with Castleford before moving to Warrington a year later. Credit: Mark Cosgrove/News Images
They had built a strong core of local players. Michael Shenton was captain after returning from St Helens, they also had the likes of Daryl Clark, Oliver Holmes and Craig Huby.
History and Controversy
After a couple of years just outside the top four, Castleford had all of a sudden got there in some style. The loan signing of Zak Hardaker proved to be a masterstroke as he proved to be that missing factor.
They were also headed by halfback Luke Gale, who had gained plaudits from all over the game, and won Man of Steel that year. He was the third player from the club to win it in the Super League era.
Luke Gale won the Man of Steel with Castleford after helping them to the Grand Final in 2017. Credit: Craig Milner/News Images
The Tigers won the League Leaders Shield by 10 points, the first time in the club’s 91-year history it had happened. They then showed their champion worth by beating St Helens in extra time to reach their first Grand Final since 1969.
But disaster struck. Hardaker was ruled out of the Grand Final out of the blue, and it emerged he had failed a drugs test. He would subsequently be banned for two years.
They went into the Grand Final against Leeds without one of their star men, forcing Daryl Powell to shuffle his pack. It didn’t come up trumps for him, as the Rhinos were comfortable 24-6 winners at Old Trafford.
Injuries ravaged their 2018 campaign, but they still finished third despite that. They also made the playoffs in 2019.
The future
Daryl Powell has had the club competing at a high level since his appointment in 2013. Credit: Mark Cosgrove/News Images
One hallmark of Powell, wherever he has been, he brought through good, young players.
At Leeds, he was the one who brought through the likes of Kevin Sinfield, Danny McGuire, Jamie Jones-Buchanan and Rob Burrow and at Cas, it is no different.
At the moment, they have several young players who are coming through the academy, and waiting in the wings for a chance.
As one of the traditional rugby league towns, Castleford will never be short of players to choose from. And in Powell, they have one of the best at bringing them through.
So long as that talent in nurtured, and has the right experience playing alongside it, then there is no reason why there cannot be success down the line for the Tigers.
Rating
7/10- they have had some real highs, but also some real lows. Despite being relegated twice, they have consistently bounced back well. In the last six years, they have turned themselves into one of the most entertaining sides in the Super League and have performed well.
