Super League coach faces uncertain future

Last night Castleford appointed former Leeds Rhinos star and London Broncos coach Danny Ward as Head Coach replacing former Hull FC man Andy Last.

Ward best playing days came during his time at Headingley. Son of the legendary David Ward, Danny Ward followed in his father’s footsteps winning silverware at Headingley as Leeds won the 2004 Grand Final.

In 2006 he played for the Tigers suffering relegation at the hands of Wakefield Trinity who he has effectively been tasked to relegate as he strives to keep the Tigers up in what he will hope is a role reversal of the 2006 race for survival.

Interestingly, Ward was relegated by Wakefield at London Broncos in 2019. As he looks to avoid this fate, Ward has joined the Tigers for the final six games and has brought in an assistant in the shape of Dane Dorahy.

However, there has been no indication of what the future holds for the pair beyond 2023.

Looking at head of recruitment Danny Wilson’s comments, it is clear the club are very focused on the final run of the season as he confirmed Batley Bulldogs boss Craig Lingard and fellow assistant Scott Murrell are still at the club:

“I think it shows our intent to stay in Super League to bring not just a coach of the calibre of Danny Ward in but to also bring in an assistant who is up and coming to compliment the great work that Craig Lingard and Scott Murrell are already doing.

“We’ve boxed it off now and we can really move forward and kick on for the last six games of the season.”

But even Lingard’s future seems in question. He said on Monday when speaking to BBC Radio Leeds that he wasn’t sure what the future holds:

“Again, I don’t know, I guess it all depends on who comes in. I’m assuming that I’ll be there until the end of the season based on whether it’s a short-term appointment or a longer term appointment, I’m not 100% sure.

“If it’s a short-term appointment then we’ll reassess at the end of the season and it’ll depend on who comes in and what staff they want to bring in from that moment in time I guess.

“I think Mark Moxon still needs an assistant coach. If the worst comes to worse, I might have to go back with my tail between my legs and work for Mocco.”