CASTLEFORD TIGERS fullback Luke Hooley has a firm fan in Craig Lingard.
But the former Tigers team chief says suggestions he will sign the 26-year-old for his new club Sheffield are a stretch.
Lingard formed a strong bond with Hooley at Batley and was instrumental in bringing him to Castleford from Leeds on a two-year contract in October 2023.
However the former Bradford and Wakefield development player is behind Tex Hoy in the pecking order at the Super League club, with teenager Fletcher Rooney an emerging talent and new Australian signing Zac Cini also able to play at fullback.
Former Newcastle Knights and Hull man Hoy has been handed squad number one, Hooley 17 and Rooney 23 by Danny McGuire, who succeeded Lingard as Castleford coach in October.
The Tigers face Sheffield in a testimonial for another fullback, Quentin Laulu-Togaga’e, the former Samoa international who has played for both clubs, at Featherstone’s Millennium Stadium on Friday.
It means Castleford’s first pre-season match is against their former coach – and it could bring Lingard face to face with Hooley, a key operator in his Batley side when they made the Championship Grand Final in 2022.
Hooley’s form over three seasons at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium club brought him his move to Leeds, but he managed only eight appearances for the Rhinos, and eleven for Castleford in 2024, and in both seasons spent time back at Batley on loan or dual-registration.
He also had a loan outing for Featherstone last year, and Lingard says if there is any chance of him playing for Sheffield in 2025, it would most likely be under that arrangement.
“I think it’s fair to see Tex as the number-one fullback at Castleford,” said Lingard, who played that position himself for Batley.
“But of course they need back-up, and Luke is an accomplished player who has experience in Super League and can play a number of positions, which makes him useful to have around.
“He also has a full-time contract there, and that would make it harder for him to make a permanent move to a part-time club.
“Like anybody, he needs games though, and if a loan deal was a possibility, we would naturally be interested.
“But he is a Castleford player, and they will have their plans for him.”
After the Sheffield game, Castleford will have a week-long warm-weather training camp in Spain, during which they play local side Valencia Huracanes.
The Tigers will then make it a trio of testimonials by visiting Wakefield (for Luke Gale on Friday, January 24) and hosting Hull (Joe Westerman on Saturday, February 1).
