Super League: 11th (P27 W6 L21 F323 A774 PD-451 Pts12); Challenge Cup: Round 6
THE HOPE
Five minutes away from the Super League play-offs in 2022, Castleford had every reason to believe that they were capable of going one step better, with Lee Radford entering his second campaign as head coach and an experienced squad under his charge.
THE REALITY
The wheels fell off Castleford almost instantly, and kept falling off after only ever very loosely being put back on. The only positive of it all was that they didn’t crash out of Super League as a result.
Radford left after only three, wholly uninspiring matches, seemingly a product of a deteriorating relationship with the coach having been set to leave at the end of the season anyway.
Castleford appointed Radford’s assistant, Andy Last, as interim coach and then, despite losing four of his first six games, as a permanent replacement.
Results and performances never really picked up, but it looked like the Tigers could at least limp towards survival – until Wakefield’s revival woke them from their slumbers.
Last was ejected with a dismal record of four wins from 19 games as Castleford scrambled for another new coach, this time finding Danny Ward, and a bunch of new players from Jordan Johnstone and Alex Foster to three lower-grade Aussie imports and finally Blake Austin on loan from Leeds.
It just about did the trick, with Ward crucially winning his first game against Trinity, which virtually secured Super League status.
But three thrashings in their final four games showed that none of their problems have been solved – and Ward won’t be sticking around to find the solutions, as Castleford now search for a fourth coach in eight months.
BEST PLAYERS
Joe Westerman stood head and shoulders above the rest of his Castleford colleagues in a terrible season.
The loose forward continues to excel in what should be his twilight years, making the most tackles of any Tiger as well as 36 offloads across the year.
Castleford’s squad is a badly ageing one but if any player offers hope for a brighter future, it’s Jack Broadbent.
Allowed to leave by Leeds, Broadbent enjoyed a fine first campaign, often providing their best attacking threat despite being moved everywhere from fullback to hooker.
Also key in attack was Greg Eden, another of their more experienced players but one who stood up on the big occasions to be counted.
Five of Eden’s nine tries came in the two contests against Wakefield, the vital wins which ultimately made the difference in the Tigers staying up instead of going down.
IN QUOTES
“Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to wholeheartedly apologise to my family and friends for my actions. I’d also like to apologise to the supporters, sponsors, staff, and directors of Castleford Tigers as well as my team-mates. I’d like to extend this apology to the game of Rugby League, and I have realised that I need to work on my decision-making around alcohol.” Joe Westerman after the start of Castleford’s season was overshadowed by a sex-video scandal involving the forward.
“With the club and I heading in different directions, I think making this early call will be the correct one.” Lee Radford announcing his departure after three games of the season.
“(We’ve been) awful, just awful. There’s not really many positives that we can take from it. We’ve massively underperformed as a team… We’ve not been good enough. We’ve had to rely on Wakey playing badly. As professional sportsmen, that’s no way to be. In the end, when it comes down to it, we had to have them losing otherwise we’d have been nailed on to go down.” Backrower Alex Mellor delivered a scathing assessment of Castleford’s season, shortly before survival was assured.
IN NUMBERS
323 – Points scored, their lowest league tally of any season in the summer era.
47 – Squad numbers allocated by Castleford, with 40 different players used in the 2023 season.
4,249 – Fans at Castleford’s Challenge Cup sixth-round tie with Hull FC, the lowest attendance (except during Covid restrictions) at the Jungle in a decade.
HIGHLIGHT
Castleford went into their pivotal away game at Wakefield in August at their lowest ebb, with Andy Last dismissed and the momentum in the relegation battle all with Trinity.
But Danny Ward, after barely a week in the job, masterminded a 28-12 win at the home of their greatest rivals, Greg Eden leading the way with a hat-trick of tries.
Charbel Tasipale and Alex Foster, two of their recent signings, the latter returning to the Tigers on loan, also scored as Castleford took a giant leap towards safety.
LOWLIGHT
It was far from Castleford’s biggest defeat of the season but the mood at the Jungle was never more foul than after their 28-0 defeat to Huddersfield at the start of August.
Another tame and toothless Tigers performance saw calls for the head of coach Andy Last, as well as the club board.
A group of supporters even staged a sit-in protest after the game, refusing to leave the ground until Last was dismissed, and they soon got their wish with his departure announced barely an hour after full-time.
PICTURE OF THE SEASON
Jason Qareqare scoring the winning try for Castleford against Leeds at Magic Weekend (above).
