Castleford Tigers forward Matt Cook has conceded that Friday’s game at Salford is a must-win clash for the Tigers in terms of keeping their top four hopes alive.
The Tigers are nine points adrift of the leading quartet in Super League with four games remaining until the split.
However, with one of Catalans and Wigan guaranteed to drop points this weekend as they meet in Perpignan, victory for Cas could narrow the gap to seven – providing they emerge victorious at the AJ Bell Stadium, something Cook says is non-negotiable.
“Yes, I think Salford is pretty much a must-win game,” he said. “In all aspects in terms of getting things back on the positive.
“We’ve had a couple of losses now on the bounce and need to get some wins to keep us secure in the top eight and then to start clawing back some points to keep in touching distance with that top four.”
Hear Cook’s full thoughts on the game in our exclusive video below – where he also discusses the defeat to Wigan in the Challenge Cup and more.
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