CASTLEFORD TIGERS 26 WAKEFIELD TRINITY 22
CALLUM WALKER, OneBore Stadium, Friday

CASTLEFORD, led by the imperious Liam Horne and Chris Atkin, stunned local rivals Wakefield to lift the Adam Watene Trophy.

Whilst the Tigers had nothing to play for, Trinity were playing for an elusive play-off spot – but you wouldn’t have guessed that as the 80 minutes played out.

Will Tate replaced Alfie Lindsey for Castleford whilst Joe Stimson started in the absence of the injured Tom Amone.

Matty Russell was unlucky to miss out for Wakefield as Lachlan Walmsley came in. Josh Griffin replaced the injured Isaiah Vagana.

Castleford have made a habit of conceding after errors in 2025 and, after Tex Hoy was dragged into touch with just five minutes gone, Jake Trueman spun the ball left for Tom Johnstone to collect and fly in at the corner. Mason Lino couldn’t convert, but Trinity led 4-0.

But it was from a Wakefield error that the Tigers hit back. Josh Rourke dropped a Daejarn Asi kick and from the resulting scrum, Atkin dummied and burrowed his way over. Asi converted to make it 6-4 after 15 minutes.

The hosts should have had another when Louis Senior was dragged into touch instead of finding Elliot Wallis, but there was no stopping Wallis with the half-hour looming, Senior this time finding his winger off a delicious Asi pass. Asi, however, was wayward with the conversion.

Chris Chester’s men looked well up for this and a sublime last-tackle play handed the hosts their third of the night. After Wallis went close and Asi’s kick rebounded off a Wakefield defender, Alex Mellor punted wide for Will Tate who gathered and offloaded to Sam Wood to lift the roof off the OneBore Stadium. Asi couldn’t convert as the Tigers led 14-4.

A criminal error from Hoy not finding touch with a penalty brought undeserved pressure on the Castleford line and Rourke atoned for his earlier error, stealing a four-pointer from dummy-half. This time Lino converted to reduce the deficit to four at 14-10.

Another Tigers mistake – this time from Tate – handed Wakefield the ball on the hosts’ line but Nikotemo was adjudged to have made a double movement in the act of scoring as the hooter sounded.

But the visitors picked up where they left off in the first-half – on the up. And Rourke got his second five minutes in, collecting a Lino bomb with Hoy in no-man’s land. Lino’s conversion sent Trinity into a 16-14 lead.

Renouf Atoni had a try chalked off for a Lachlan Walmsley knock-on before Mellor strode through a tackle on 53 minutes to bring more pain for Daryl Powell’s men. This time Hoy added the extras for a 20-16 lead.

Castleford were inexplicably denied another try when Atkin dotted down a ricochet. Instead, video referee Tom Grant somehow ruled Jeremiah Simbiken had brushed the ball forward.

It mattered little as Liam Horne slammed the ball down after Sam Hall hacked on an Asi bomb with Rourke flailing at thin air. Hoy made it 26-16 with 15 minutes remaining.

Nikotemo grabbed one back for Trinity after Johnstone had been set free down the touchline – though Wakefield were saved by Aaron Moore’s on-field decision as Lino improved.

Just four points behind, Wakefield endeavoured but couldn’t find a reply as Castleford somehow held out to regain bragging rights after a tumultuous season.

 

GAMESTAR: Liam Horne played the game of his life.

GAMEBREAKER: Castleford’s Captain Challenge on 77 minutes handed them a penalty instead of Wakefield having the ball inside the Tigers’ own 20-metre line

HIGHLIGHT REEL: The scenes in the stands at the OneBore Stadium at the final whistle – Castleford fans haven’t had much to cheer about in 2025, but this was right up there.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Liam Horne (Castleford)
2 pts Chris Atkin (Castleford)
1 pt Jeremiah Simbiken (Castleford)

TIGERS
1 Tex Hoy
25 Will Tate
4 Sam Wood
22 Louis Senior
45 Elliot Wallis 6 Daejarn Asi
42 Chris Atkin
43 Joe Stimson
9 Liam Horne
10 George Lawler
11 Jeremiah Simbiken
12 Alex Mellor
13 Joe Westerman
Subs (all used)
15 George Griffin
16 Cain Robb
19 Sam Hall
38 Brad Singleton

18th man (not used)
20 Muizz Mustapha
Also in 21-man squad
26 George Hill
39 Hugo Salabio
46 Alfie Lindsey

Tries: Atkin (14), Wallis (24), Wood (29), Mellor (53), Horne (65)
Goals: Asi 1/3, Hoy 2/2

TRINITY
23 Josh Rourke
2 Lachlan Walmsley
3 Cameron Scott
19 Oliver Pratt
5 Tom Johnstone
6 Jake Trueman
20 Mason Lino
8 Mike McMeeken
9 Liam Hood
21 Mathieu Cozza
17 Matty Storton
11 Seth Nikotemo
13 Jay Pitts
Subs (all used)
12 Josh Griffin
16 Renouf Atoni
28 Harvey Smith
31 Caius Faatili
18th man (not used)
1 Max Jowitt
Also in 21-man squad
24 Matty Russell
25 Jack Croft
30 Jayden Myers

Tries: Johnstone (6), Rourke (36, 46), Nikotemo (72)
Goals: Lino 3/4

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 6-4, 10-4, 14-4, 14-10; 14-16, 20-16, 26-16, 26-22

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Tigers: Liam Horne; Trinity: Mike McMeeken

Penalty count: 5-4
Half-time: 14-10
Referee: Aaron Moore
Attendance: 7,532