Warrington Wolves forward Joe Westerman has admitted that sees hometown club Castleford Tigers as a serious threat to the rest this season ahead of the Wolves’ clash with Daryl Powell’s side tonight.
Westerman began his career at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle before moving onto Hull FC prior to joining Warrington in a six-figure transfer last year.
And he insisted that under Powell, the Tigers are a side with plenty of top-four potential: although he is confident Warrington can pick up their first win of the Super League season this Friday.
“They attacked really well against Leigh,” he said.
“But it’s one of those games where people who don’t play the game and watch it will think Castleford were outstanding but the Leigh coach said afterwards that they were bad, and they were.
“They held their own but after the first 20 minutes they didn’t play well at all. From Cas’ perspective I don’t know if a week off will do them any favours.
“I think they’ll be up there, they’ll be in the top four and it’s good to see different clubs doing well. Being from there too it’s always nice but I would back ourselves against them to get the job done and bounce back strongly.”
Westerman also admitted he has one eye on an England recall this year.
He featured in front of watching England coach Wayne Bennett on Saturday night during the Wolves’ clash against Brisbane Broncos, and he conceded that getting back into international contention for the first time since 2014 is a major goal of his.
“It’s massive, the World Cup,” he said.
“I got a taste of England in 2014 and really enjoyed it but I’ve missed out the last couple of years, and there’d be no better time to come back into the fold than in a World Cup year.
“I’ve had a good pre-season and when I got out there against Catalans I felt like I had a bit of a spring in my step. I can build on that each week now and hopefully at the end of the year I will get that call that I want, to be back in the England fray.”