RYAN CARR believes that both Ashton Golding and George Hirst will add a lot to Castleford Tigers following their capture.
Whilst Golding has signed on a deal until the end of the 2026 Super League season, Hirst has joined on a month’s loan from Wigan Warriors.
Interestingly, Jamaican international Golding had been without a club for the start of the current campaign, and had been training on his own.
“Ashton is a great addition, he is a great addition to our culture. He brings a great maturity to our group and experience,” Carr said.
“He embeds what we are about here which is competing as a club and a team first.
“He was sitting there without a club and once we heard the news, I had a coffee and catch up with him because I’ve had a relationship with him prior.
“I spoke to him about where we are heading as a club and where he fits in here and he was very excited.
“We brought the person not the player. I knew him as a fullback in 2019 when he joined Feeatherstone but he played nine and 13 at Huddersfield last year.
“I’m grateful to have him on board. The signing had been done prior to Blake Taaffe’s injury.
“We haven’t got a large squad by any means. We understand footy being a contact sport, injuries are unavoidable at times.
“We’ve only had him in two days now but he will get a chance to travel with the group and be in and around them.
“He’s been training hard on his own. He’s such a competitive person in general so he was never going to let himself go.”
The Tigers have also picked up Hirst on a month’s loan and Carr has been impressed with the youngster so far.
“George is a good pick up for us, he’s a really good kid.
“He wants to get better every day and wants to work really. He’s got a really good physicality about him.
“It’s about getting him up to speed with our calls and processes which is what we are working hard on.
“He’s got a bright future in Super League so we want to make sure we want to help him do that.”
Ahead of Castleford’s fixture against Toulouse Olympique, Castleford could still be without Brock Greacen and Zac Cini.
“Brock is training well, it was touch and go last week and it’s a bit of day-by-day thing with the niggle he suffered.
“We will get a read on him in the next 24-48 hours but he is doing his best to play.
“Zac Cini is very close. He was very touch and go this week but we think he will be on track for next week.”