LEAGUE EXPRESS previews a season of change for Castleford Tigers.
THE DEPARTURES
The biggest departure has of course been Daryl Powell, with the head coach leaving after eight-and-a-half largely successful years for pastures new at Warrington.
Powell, who led the club to three major finals and a League Leaders’ Shield, also took a couple of the Tigers’ favourites with him across the Pennines to harshen the blow.
Oliver Holmes had spent his whole career in Castleford colours, making over 200 appearances across a dozen campaigns, but after possibly the best season of his career to date, the England international backrower decided to join Powell at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
So too Peter Mata’utia, a former NRL centre who offered real threat and excitement from the backline in his three seasons as a Tiger.
As if that wasn’t enough, Castleford also must manage this season without a couple of true stalwarts who retired at the end of 2021.
Michael Shenton has hung up his boots after no fewer than 16 seasons as a first-team player at the club. That has been interrupted only by a couple of years at St Helens, after which he was appointed captain on his return in 2013.
As well as those sizeable shoes as captain and effective centre, those of Grant Millington are also vacant, with the Australian prop calling it a day after a decade of excellent service at Wheldon Road.
Elsewhere, forwards Jesse Sene-Lefao and Alex Foster have played roles in the success of recent years, but both have been allowed to leave for the Championship after five years at the club, with Sene-Lefao joining neighbours Featherstone and Foster heading to Newcastle.
Also departed for the second tier are prop Lewis Bienek, who has returned to London Broncos, and Academy product centre Brad Graham, who after three Castleford appearances has moved to Dewsbury Rams.
THE ARRIVALS
Lee Radford has arrived at Castleford almost two years after his six-season stint at Hull FC was ended, and the double Challenge Cup-winning coach has brought a few familiar faces along with him.
Both Mahe Fonua and Bureta Faraimo have moved directly from Hull, with the outside backs set to bring real firepower to Castleford’s edges this season.
Fonua had two spells with Hull, having also played in the NRL with Melbourne and Wests. He scored three tries at Wembley across their two successes there, while former Paramatta winger Faraimo had four seasons in East Yorkshire.
Radford is also reunited with Joe Westerman, who he played alongside and coached in a first spell at Hull before later bringing back a second time.
The loose forward leaves Wakefield after a strong season which put him back in contention for England. He re-joins the club he started his career with and made more than 100 appearances for.
Callum McLelland also returns to his roots, having come through the Castleford Academy and then switching to rugby union before making the first team. Back in League and having failed to nail down a spot at Leeds, the 22-year-old halfback will look to be a central part of this new era.
Also joining from the Rhinos is centre Alex Sutcliffe, another youngster who made 15 Super League appearances while not being a regular at Headingley.
Some size has moved across West Yorkshire from Huddersfield, with prop Suaia Matagi joining on a permanent basis after a loan spell last season that brought 13 appearances. Kenny Edwards is now the on-loan man, with the Giants backrower joining for the season.
There are also two key arrivals in George Lawler or Jake Mamo, who should be reaching their peak after excellent seasons in 2021.
The ever-improving back-row Lawler has signed from Hull KR, where he has played his whole career to date, while Australian centre Jake Mamo scored 16 tries for Warrington last season and will entertain both on the pitch and on the mic.
THE SPINE
This is the one area of the team which has largely seen continuity rather than change for Castleford heading into the new season.
Niall Evalds had a great season at fullback, earning the Lance Todd Trophy for his performance in a losing cause in the Challenge Cup Final, and finishing the year with his first England cap as well.
Halfback has been a troubled area for the Tigers in recent seasons, with Jake Trueman and Danny Richardson yet to form the kind of devastating partnership hoped for in their two years together so far.
Both have had struggles with injury, which has meant that neither has hit top form consistently and this season must surely be the one where things click if they can both avoid further injury setbacks.
And there is competition for their places, with Gareth O’Brien still on board and able to play at fullback or halfback and Callum McLelland also joining the ranks.
There is no question of the first choice at hooker, with Paul McShane entering his seventh full season at the club with the added responsibilities of captaincy following Shenton’s retirement, and promising young Jacques O’Neill providing cover.
THE PACK
Liam Watts fronts the Tigers pack and reunites with Radford, who let him leave Hull for Castleford almost four years ago.
Lawler jumps straight into the other front-row starting jersey on his arrival, though there is plenty of competition for spots at prop in the squad.
As well as Matagi, there are Daniel Smith, George Griffin and Tyla Hepi, who could also take up a role in the second row.
Adam Milner has switched squad numbers for the season from 13 to 12, potentially hinting at the role to come for the consistent England international with Westerman now in line to play at loose forward.
Edwards has the other backrow starting shirt but Cheyse Blair and Alex Sutcliffe could fill in there as well as at centre.
THE THREEQUARTERS
Mahe Fonua and Bureta Faraimo have been handed the four and five shirts respectively for this season and could potentially combine for a partnership that would be more than a handful for the opposition.
Derrell Olpherts retains the other wing jersey after two solid seasons at the Tigers, which have brought a strike rate of almost a try every two games.
Jordan Turner, who has been promoted to a starting centre shirt, was even more dangerous last term with 17 tries across all competitions in his first season since switching from Huddersfield.
However, new recruit Mamo achieved the same number, while Greg Eden’s try-scoring exploits through the years need no introduction and he still has more Castleford tries to his name than appearances. And James Clare has proved to be a reliable wingman for the Tigers over the years.
Much interest will centre on wingman Sosaia Feki, whose shocking luck with injury has limited him to just one appearance in the two seasons since he joined the club.
Clearly there are some interesting decisions to be made by Radford when it comes to settling on his strongest backline.
THE YOUNGSTERS
There’s plenty of young talent pushing for further opportunities after getting first-team run-outs last season.
Brad Martin made nine appearances and Lewis Peachey seven, so the forward pair will both expect to be challenging the established names in the squad this year.
Another forward, Sam Hall, played three matches last term, as did Jason Qareqare after scoring in the first minute of his highly memorable debut at the age of 17.
Hooker Cain Robb got two outings, the first alongside halfback Jack Sadler, and both teenagers will aim for another chance to impress.
And young Academy threequarters Nathan Carter and Mackenzie Scurr have been given squad numbers this season and both will be hoping to make their debuts.
A REALISTIC AIM FOR 2022
Under new management and with a raft of changes to the playing squad, this could be a season of transition for Castleford.
Nobody at the club will want to settle for that though, and with the quality and depth in their squad there is no reason why the play-offs shouldn’t be achievable, despite missing out in the past two years.
Last season the Tigers came closest to a trophy in the Challenge Cup, losing the final to St Helens, and with a coach who has history in that competition now at the helm, that likely provides their best shot at silverware this year.
Squad numbers: 1 Niall Evalds, 2 Derrell Olpherts, 3 Jordan Turner, 4 Jake Mamo, 5 Bureta Faraimo, 6 Jake Trueman, 7 Danny Richardson, 8 Liam Watts, 9 Paul McShane, 10 George Lawler, 11 Kenny Edwards, 12 Adam Milner, 13 Joe Westerman, 14 Nathan Massey, 15 George Griffin, 16 Callum McLelland, 17 Mahe Fonua, 18 Jacques O’Neill, 19 Tyla Hepi, 20 James Clare, 21 Alex Sutcliffe, 22 Daniel Smith, 23 Greg Eden, 24 Cheyse Blair, 25 Suaia Matagi, 27 Lewis Peachey, 28 Brad Martin, 29 Sam Hall, 30 Sosaia Feki, 31 Gareth O’Brien, 32 Cain Robb, 33 Jason Qareqare, 34 Jack Sadler, 35 Nathan Carter, 36 Mackenzie Scurr
Ins: Kenny Edwards (Huddersfield Giants – season loan), Bureta Faraimo (Hull FC), Mahe Fonua (Hull FC), George Lawler (Hull Kingston Rovers), Jake Mamo (Warrington Wolves), Suaia Matagi (Huddersfield Giants), Callum McLelland (Leeds Rhinos), Alex Sutcliffe (Leeds Rhinos), Joe Westerman (Wakefield Trinity)
Outs: Lewis Bienek (London Broncos), Alex Foster (Newcastle Thunder), Brad Graham (Dewsbury Rams), Oliver Holmes (Warrington Wolves), Peter Mata’utia (Warrington Wolves), Grant Millington (retired), Adam Rusling (Hull Kingston Rovers), Jesse Sene-Lefao (Featherstone Rovers), Michael Shenton (retired)
Coaching team
Head Coach: Lee Radford
Assistant Coach: Andy Last
Head of Rugby & Development: Danny Wilson
Head of Strength & Conditioning: Adam Whitney
Head of Analysis: Danny Blundell
Head Physiotherapist: Matt Crowther
First Team Physiotherapist: Amy Wesson
Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach: Martin Clawson
Sports Scientist: Jordan Fentiman
Club Doctor: Nick Raynor
Club management
Managing Director: Mark Grattan
General Manager: Richard Pell
Head of Commercial Partnerships: Craig Jeffels
Head of Operations: Chris Powell
Media & Marketing Manager: Tom Maguire
Ticketing Manager: Mark Gill
Head Groundsman: Stuart Vause
Project Manager: Mark Langshaw
Club Photographer: Melanie Allatt
Club Colours
Home shirt: Orange and black, with a white vee
Away Shirt: Charcoal grey with amber stripes
Betfred odds to win the Grand Final: 20/1
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