SHEFFIELD EAGLES coach Craig Lingard hopes attention to detail in pre-season will help provide a “fitter, stronger and more resilient” Steel City Stadium side in 2026.
The former Castleford coach has the chance to spend the full build-up with a reshaped squad after taking the job last December, by which time other clubs were already well into training.
Sheffield, still in a state of transition after the end of Mark Aston’s reign as coach during the 2024 campaign (the club stalwart, having taken on a commercial role, cut ties with the club altogether in August), had a testing campaign, finishing eleventh in the Championship.
Under no illusions that a big improvement is needed, Lingard and assistant Craig Huby have started putting their own stamp on things, with a change of a key training location included.
“We have switched to a gym in Castleford, which has allowed us to sharpen our focus on strength and conditioning,” explained Lingard, who has also coached Keighley and Batley.
“Previously we were using a facility which was open to the public, and while it was well equipped, it meant there were issues with getting the venue at a time which fitted in with the other areas of our schedule.
“Co-ordinating everything became more difficult, but this way we can use the gym and do that side of our work when we want to, rather than fitting in with availability.
“That full pre-season is important, because we not only had limited time to work as a group last year, but we also had to cancel sessions due to poor weather, so went into the season far less ready than I would have liked.
“That was reflected in our consistency as a side and our results, and we have to improve on both those areas, and be fitter, stronger and more resilient.”
Sheffield have struck a two-year kit partnership deal with Samurai and Kitlocker, which will cover all the club’s teams.