CASTLEFORD TIGERS this morning announced the departure of head coach Lee Radford following a dreadful start to the 2023 Super League season.
The West Yorkshire club have lost their opening thee games of the season but backed Radford heavily in the off-season with a plethora of new signings.
That being said, Castleford are now coachless with Andy Last taking over duties. But, who could take over permanently?
Andy Last
Probably seems the most obvious choice given he is already at The Jungle, but Andy Last could finally make the step up to being a permanent head coach. Following Radford’s sacking by Hull FC back in 2019, Last took over and guided the Black and Whites to a play-off spot at the back end of the season. Since then, Last has worked in the England set-up, bringing in some great experience working alongside the likes of Shaun Wane. It’s only a matter of time until Last gets his first head coaching gig on a permanent basis. Could this be it?
Danny Orr
Now a policeman, the ties between Danny Orr and Castleford cannot be underestimated. The livewire halfback enamoured himself to the Tigers faithful in two separate spells having come through the club’s youth system. Orr also has a taste of coaching having taken the reins from the sacked Ian Millward back in 2013 before Daryl Powell took over. Orr then was second-in-command to Powell for the majority of his coaching time at The Jungle before heading to the Salford Red Devils. It remains to be seen whether the 44-year-old would return to the sport, but if there’s any club that could lure him then it is the Tigers.
Danny Ward
Currently without a role in rugby league, Danny Ward has been doing some work in rugby union for the past year or so, with the appetite for first-team coaching still there. Of course, Ward will most fondly be remembered for earning promotion to Super League with the London Broncos against all odds back in 2018 and was within a whisker of guiding the capital club to safety the year after. Departing the Broncos midway through 2021, Ward has been with 15-man side Rosslyn Park since but a big Super League move could well lure the 42-year-old back to league.
Justin Morgan
Last month, Justin Morgan told League Express that he wanted to return to Super League as a head coach – perfect timing? Morgan has been understudy to the likes of Craig Bellamy and Ricky Stuart so has accrued perfect knowledge over his time in the NRL. Currently with the New Zealand Warriors as an assistant coach, Morgan is well known in the UK for his time as head coach of Hull KR when he transformed the East Yorkshire side from a Championship club into one fighting for the Super League play-offs. Passionate and enthusiastic, Morgan would be an ‘outside-the-box’ pick.
