Castleford Tigers have signed young prop Kieran Hudson from Championship side Whitehaven on a two-year deal.

The 21-year-old only joined Whitehaven in the off-season from Newcastle Thunder, and will remain with the Cumbrian club on loan until the end of 2022.

But Hudson will have the opportunity to train with the Super League side in a full-time set-up this season before having the chance to press his claims for the first team next year.

“He has got some physical attributes that no coach can implement in someone,” said Castleford head coach Lee Radford on his new signing.

“He is six foot five, he’s very aggressive in contact, and carries the ball as hard as he can, that acceleration into contact is exciting, and putting him in a full-time rugby environment for the first time will only benefit him.”

Hudson, who only committed to Rugby League in his mid-teens having previously been a goalkeeper in Sunderland AFC’s academy, said: “I’m excited to get started.

“Lee wants me to be around the lads and learn from the more experienced players and hopefully take some of their skills on board for me. I would say I’m fairly new to the sport, but I’ve got some transferable skills.

“Get some more game time under my belt, get that ball in my hands, and when I’m down in Cas just being around people and getting some experience and taking some of that knowledge back up north.”

Whitehaven head coach Jonty Gorley has backed Hudson to flourish in a full-time environment and said “his potential is frightening”.

Gorley added: “I am absolutely over the moon for Kieran. He has came to us and proved that he is a good front row forward, all he needed was an opportunity to prove this, he has done this with us.”