CASTLEFORD TIGERS may well have started the season in poor form, losing five of their opening six games, but fans of the West Yorkshire side are quickly becoming enamoured to one new signing.
That man is Jack Broadbent, who made his way through the doors of The Jungle ahead of the 2023 Super League season after signing on a two-year deal from local rivals Leeds Rhinos.
Not getting played, Broadbent sought an opportunity elsewhere, signing for Featherstone Rovers on-loan before joining the Tigers for 2023.
With the ability to play in almost any position along the backline and halves, Broadbent has excelled at The Jungle so far, arguably staking a good claim to be Castleford’s greatest signing made for this season and beyond.
The 22-year-old has already operated at fullback, centre and in the halves – as he did so against Catalans Dragons on Saturday evening – and it’s fair to say that he has delivered in each of those positions with aplomb.
In fact, Saturday against the Dragons was probably Broadbent’s best game in a Castleford shirt, as he delivered a superb performance in the halves in the absence of Gareth Widdop.
Widdop had been struck down by a bug before the game as the Tigers camp suffered from a bout of diarrhoea, but Broadbent was on hand to not only fill in, but excel at the Stade Gilbert Brutus.
Scoring two tries, the 22-year-old certainly made his mark on the game with his second effort a truly special one.
Splitting two defenders in the Dragons’ line, Broadbent sprinted through the gap before rounding lightning-quick fullback Arthur Mourgue to run 60 metres for a scintillating score.
It must also be recognised that Broadbent beat Catalans flyers Tom Johnstone and Tom Davies to the line, who were both chasing for their lives.
Always willing to help his side out in defence, too, the signing of the youngster by former boss Lee Radford appears to be an inspired one which also begs the question, are Leeds ruing letting him go?
At the weekend, the Rhinos went down 20-12 to Hull KR with Harry Newman and Rhyse Martin operating in the centres, Luke Hooley on debut at fullback and Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer in the halves.
Under former Rhinos head coach Richard Agar, Broadbent was a trusted member of the Leeds squad but found his game time limited under Rohan Smith.
That prompted Smith and Broadbent to look elsewhere, but with the Rhinos struggling out wide at Craven Park on Friday night, they could well have been boosted by a Broadbent.
Leeds’ loss has very much been Castleford’s gain so far.
