WAKEFIELD TRINITY 32 CASTLEFORD TIGERS 8
CALLUM WALKER, DIY Kitchens Stadium, Friday
PEOPLE say you can’t read much into pre-season games, but if the first 40 minutes of Luke Gale’s testimonial are anything to go by then Castleford are in for a long season and Wakefield might shock some of their opponents.
The Tigers were down 20-4 at half-time when both sides had their strongest available teams out before a raft of second-half changes altered the complexion of the fixture.
Trinity had the likes of Jake Trueman, Cam Scott and Matty Storton debuting with Daejarn Asi, Judah Rimbu and Zac Cini doing the same for Castleford.
But it was Wakefield that looked full of vim and vigour from the off with a Storton break laying the platform for a crisp left-to-right move ending with Lachlan Walmsley flying in at the corner in customary fashion. Max Jowitt, however, couldn’t convert but the hosts led 4-0 after just four minutes.
To say debutant Cini was struggling with the pace of Jowitt and Scott in the opening exchanges was an understatement as the two Wakefield men sent Walmsley away again shortly after.
That time Walmsley’s kick inside was just too strong for Scott, but the writing was on the wall and it was that man Scott who carved his way through weak defending to double Trinity’s score on ten minutes. Jowitt’s conversion was perfect and Wakefield were now 10-0 up.
Walmsley was sent away yet again in the next set and his weaving trickery almost yielded points before the Tigers finally shut up shop.
It took Castleford 16 minutes to make it into the hosts’ half for their first attack and they crossed the line in tremendous style, Innes Senior doing exactly what Walmsley did earlier on in the corner.
Tex Hoy, however, couldn’t convert as Wakefield now led 10-4.
Despite that initial joy, Castleford’s Jeremiah Simbiken was placed on report for a late tackle on Trueman before Wakefield’s left-edge attack decided to get in on the act, with Josh Rourke sliding over off an Oliver Pratt pass four minutes before the break.
Jowitt couldn’t add the conversion but the fullback scythed through a huge gap in the next set to send Seth Nikotemo away for a debut try. Jowitt’s boot made it 20-4 at half-time.
A brilliant last-ditch Hoy tackle stopped Rourke immediately following the resumption before Pratt failed to send Rourke over after a superb break, but the Wakefield joy down the edges was relentless.
It was, however, the Tigers that hit back as the hour approached, Josh Simm being adjudged to have grounded the ball despite appearing in touch. Asi, with Hoy off, missed the conversion with Wakefield now 20-8 up.
With 12 minutes remaining, Gale was given the nod by Daryl Powell to thunderous applause and that inspired a Liam Hood break down the middle.
The ever-imposing Ky Rodwell was on hand to take Hood’s offload to go under the posts as Gale converted to make it 26-8.
And there was still enough time for Caleb Hamlin-Uele to force his way through soft defence with Rourke rounding the scores off at 32-8.
GAMESTAR: Max Jowitt picked up where he left off in 2024.
GAMEBREAKER:Seth Nikotemo’s try just before half-time created an unassailable 20-4 lead.
MATCHFACTS
TRINITY
1 Max Jowitt
2 Lachlan Walmsley
3 Cam Scott
19 Oliver Pratt
23 Josh Rourke
6 Jake Trueman
20 Mason Lino
8 Mike McMeeken
9 Liam Hood
10 Ky Rodwell
11 Seth Nikotemo
17 Matty Storton
13 Jay Pitts
Subs (all used)
7 Oliver Russell
7 Luke Gale
15 Caleb Hamlin-Uele
25 Jack Croft
27 Isaac Shaw
28 Harvey Smith
30 Ellis Lingard
31 Rowan Stephenson
32 Cain Staveley-Carr
33 Dom Sinfield
34 Zach McSwiney
35 Harry Ratcliffe
Tries: Walmsley (4), Scott (10), Rourke (36), Nikotemo (39), Rodwell (70), Hamlin-Uele (76)
Goals: Jowitt 2/4, Gale 1/1, Rourke 1/1
TIGERS
1 Tex Hoy
2 Jason Qareqare
3 Zac Cini
4 Sam Wood
5 Innes Senior
13 Joe Westerman
6 Daejarn Asi
15 George Griffin
9 Liam Horne
10 George Lawler
11 Jeremiah Simbiken
12 Alex Mellor
20 Muizz Mustapha
Subs (all used)
8 Liam Watts
14 Judah Rimbu
16 Cain Robb
17 Luke Hooley
18 Josh Hodson
21 Sylvester Namo
23 Fletcher Rooney
24 Josh Simm
26 George Hill
27 Jensen Windley
28 Akim Matvejev
30 Daniel Sarbah
33 Sam Darley
34 Jacob Hall
35 Dan Okoro
– Sam Grice
Tries: Senior (18), Simm (57)
Goals: Hoy 0/1, Asi 0/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 10-0, 10-4, 14-4, 20-4; 20-8, 26-8, 32-8
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Trinity: Max Jowitt; Tigers: Dan Okoro
Penalty count: 8-4
Half-time: 20-4
Referee: Liam Rush
Attendance: 3,079
