CASTLEFORD TIGERS’ Super League Player of the Year, Joe Westerman, has signed a new deal with the Super League club.
Westerman first joined the Tigers back in 2007 after playing for local sides, Lock Lane and Featherstone Lions. In his first stint at the club, he made 103 appearances over a four-year period and scored 43 times, kicking 175 goals.
He then moved on to pastures new, signing for Hull FC, Warrington Wolves, Toronto Wolfpack and Wakefield Trinity.
In 2021, it was announced that Westerman would return to his boyhood club on a two-year deal. Since his return, he has scored twice in 51 appearances and has been the Club Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year two years in a row.
Westerman said: “I always wanted to end my career at Cas. It’s something that’s really close to me and I’ve been a Cas supporter since I was about 6 years old so I love the club and I want to play my best rugby here and do my best to take Cas as far as I can.
“We’ve just got to set some standards and get the lads all on board and buying into the Cas way and I think that next year is massive. Cas aren’t meant to be at the bottom of the table and it is not good for us as a playing group to be down there so I think a new start next year.
“There’s a lot of young kids coming through so if we can get the boys playing and enjoying their rugby, which is massive, and enjoying playing for Cas and pulling that badge on it’ll be a big step forward and I think that’s what we’re willing to do. Us senior lads who are there making sure that these lads understand Castleford, what it means to the town, what it means to the fans and get them so every time they wear that badge they are showing what it means to them and doing it proud.”
Castleford’s director of rugby Danny Wilson commented on Westerman’s extension and believes he is the right person to be involved at the club as he bleeds the Castleford values and beliefs: “As a person, he’s Castleford through and through. He wears his heart on his sleeve when he plays and he’s been our best player for the last 2 years.
“He’s an emotional kid. We spoke quite a lot openly about where we want to take the squad and the profile of the squad and lower that average age but you do need some experienced players in that squad and certainly the ones that reflect the personality of Castleford and I think Westy does that.
“He wears his passion for the club on his shirt when he plays. He wants to be part of this rebuild and how we take the club forward and spoke quite passionately about that so really happy that he’s staying for the next couple of years and is a big part of what we will be doing moving forward.”
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