Castleford Tigers fans will have been caught by surprise on Monday with the news that prop Danny Tickle left the club to join Leigh Centurions with immediate effect: but the Tigers are already scouring the market for a replacement.
And TotalRL understands that their hunt for a new forward has led them to developing an interest in St Helens prop Andre Savelio – last year’s Albert Goldthorpe Medal Rookie of the Year.
The highly-rated 21-year-old has found opportunities difficult to come by at Saints of late, after what was undoubtedly his breakthrough year in 2015. He has made only six appearances for the Saints’ first-team in 2016.
It is as yet unclear whether Castleford will try to force a deal through for the versatile forward before Friday’s transfer deadline or whether they will keep their powder dry for 2017 – but with the loss of Tickle to Leigh, it leaves the Tigers undoubtedly light in their pack.
They already know Nathan Massey will undergo wrist surgery imminently, ruling him out of the Super 8s. As well as that, they are without long-term injury victims Andy Lynch, Michael Shenton and Ben Roberts – so the capture of Savelio mid-season would represent a major coup for Castleford if they can land him.