Battle hots up for Westerman

CASTLEFORD TIGERS’ incoming coach Lee Radford wants to bring his former player Joe Westerman back to the Jungle.

Westerman, currently on the books at Wakefield Trinity, hails from Pontefract and started his Super League career with the Tigers in 2007.

The loose forward also had two spells at Hull FC, from 2011 to 2015 and from 2018 to 2019, where he was coached by Radford.

Totalrl.com understands that Radford has made Westerman, 31, who has been in fine form in 2021, one of his top targets.

The loose forward is off-contract at the end of this year after joining Wakefield on a two-year deal from the Airlie Birds prior to the start of the 2020 season.

But Trinity are keen to keep him for 2021, while Westerman has an option in his contract for next year based on him playing a certain number of games.

If the former England international plays a total of 40 Super League games for Wakefield over the course of the 2020 and 2021 campaigns, the option automatically triggers.

He made 15 appearances for Trinity last season and so far in 2021 he made five appearances and Wakefield are likely to fight hard to keep him next season.

The former Warrington and Toronto player is averaging 74.2 metres, 32.2 tackles and 12.2 carries per game this year.