Super League coach addresses the impact relegation would have on the club

Some of Super League’s biggest clubs – Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves – have flirted with relegation.

In fact in 2016 we saw a huge club in the shape of Hull KR suffer relegation as they lost in golden point in the million pound game against Salford Red Devils.

But in 2006 Wigan fended off relegation after some big signings with Stuart Fielden and Brian Noble leading the way.

Leeds Rhinos flirted with relegation in 2016, 2018 and 2019. In their last relegation battle they pulled away after signing Shaun Lunt, Rob Lui, Ava Seumanufagai and Rhyse Martin.

Warrington meanwhile were in peril in 2022 and in 2017 so it shows no one is safe and Castleford Tigers know that having suffered relegation in 2006 in a heartbreaking relegation Grand Final against Wakefield Trinity.

The two are again battling to survival and Andy Last has been asked if his side have the stomach to fight.

“They have to have, you know, that’s something we’ve spoken about recently,” Last said.

“There’s nine games to go, we’ve got the ball in our court, we’re two points clear at the moment and our points for and against is a little bit better than Wakefield.

“We’ve got to make sure that we’re performing well, training well and take care of our own business. If we get some wins and get some performances, then the table will take care of itself.

“With Wakefield, they’ve found three wins in the last four, so they’ve found a little bit of form. We need to return serve, so to speak, and go after these games which are coming up.

“The ball’s in our court, like I’ve said. We’re two points clear of Wakefield at the moment, a better point for and against. There’s nine games to go, you take care of business and win four or five of those games, you may not be looking over your shoulder. So we need to just focus on one week at a time, putting in strong 80-minute performances.”

He also addressed what relegation would mean for the club: “Yeah, obviously, they all know that. They’re smart individuals, yeah they’re rugby players, but they’re fully aware of the situation that we find ourselves in.

“Relegation would be absolutely devastating for us. We don’t want to be relegated and we’re working hard on a daily basis to make sure that doesn’t happen.

“Like I say, there’s nine games to go. There’s a lot of points available to us. We need to go out and put in our best performance week in, week out to give ourselves a chance of getting more wins rather than the losses.”