Powell expecting more from Cas

Daryl Powell wants to see his side reassert their intentions for the year when they take on Leeds tonight.

The Tigers chief saw his side return to winning ways when they defeated Salford in the Challenge Cup last week, their first victory in four outings.

Attentions now turn back to Super League, with Cas in need of a result after sliding down the table over recent weeks, dropping down to eighth position.

Although they are four points clear of the bottom four, Powell is keen for his side to build on promising signs they have shown over recent weeks.

“There’s loads to come from us,” Powell said.

“We’ve got so many players missing that when they start feeding back in and they find their form there will be loads to come from us. There are some real positive signs from us at the moment and we’d like to reaffirm that on Thursday night, that’s when you start seeing some consistency.

“This is a game that is crucial to us. It’s important that we focus on ourselves and make sure we play well. We’ve enjoyed going to Headingley recently, we’ve played really well there. So hopefully we can do the same.

“We’ve just got to go and perform. It will only be good for us if we go and play well. You can’t turn up in any game in Super League and be off your game. We’ve seen that this year that you can get your backside spanked.”

Castleford will come up against a Leeds team that has suffered a hellacious start to the campaign, prompting chief executive Gary Hetherington into issuing a rallying cry ahead of the game. And Powell is wary of the Rhinos despite their position at the foot of Super League.

“It is tough what has happened to them, no doubt,” Powell said.

“But they’ve still got a pretty good team there that can really challenge. A couple of weeks ago they nearly beat St Helens. They were really sharp that night and put Saints under a lot of pressure. They’ve had some battles against Huddersfield and it is what it is with them, they’ve had it tough with injuries like us that has made it difficult for them.”