WIGAN WARRIORS
Craig Lingard, the manager of Castleford Tigers, feels that Wigan’s comeback was a “good step” ahead for his squad.
Head coach Craig Lingard of the Castleford Tigers was encouraged by his team’s performance in their second match in as many weeks against the champion Wigan Warriors.
The Tigers lost another player in the opening ten minutes of the game due to a possibly critical knee injury sustained by Charbel Tasipale, but they played with greater vigor in a 36-14 loss. The Tigers were just as plagued by injuries as they were in the Challenge Cup match against the world champions.
“We were missing Joe Westerman and Alex Mellor from that team as well, so we knew the level of the task coming here after the performance and defeat last week,” Lingard remarked.
We were essentially down to the necessary bare bones after a few more last-minute alterations. Sylvster Namo was unable to have his five-match ban overturned, and Alex Mellor failed his fitness test.
“We wanted everyone to have a competitive edge, and we talked about it all week. We demonstrated that, at least in the first half.
“We could have easily given up after last week, but we persevered until the very end, and we’ll carry that into the London game.
“One may draw a lot of benefits from that. While we obviously still need to improve continuously, that was a positive step for us.
Lingard was pleased with the way young players George Hill and Sam Hall coped with playing against Wigan.
He added: “For a young kid like George Hill to make his debut against a team like Wigan and play that first 40 minutes as well as he did was exceptional.
“The plan was to get him out there and give the first 15, 20 minutes then take him off and try to get him back on, but he was that good in the first half that I wanted to leave him out there. It’s a testament to his attitude, his performance and fitness to be able to do that against the quality of a team like Wigan.
“Sam’s been great all season. He gets us on the front foot, he’s strong and aggressive with his carries. He’s here for the long term and I’m hoping he goes from strength to strength.”
Lingard is hoping to have a stronger squad to choose from for Friday’s game at home to London Broncos and admitted he was still looking to bring in more players after Cas signed Louis Senior on loan from Hull KR last week and added full-back Tex Hoy on a deal to the end of the season.
Hoy recently left Hull FC by mutual consent and had been looking for a club since his departure.
After playing 29 games in the NRL for the Newcastle Knights between 2020 and 2022, Hoy signed for Hull in 2023 and made 24 appearances, scoring four tries and kicking three goals.
Hoy is filliing the quota spot at Castleford vacated by Albert Vete who left the club by mutual consent last week.
Danny Wilson, the director of rugby operations for the Tigers, stated: “We feel that Tex’s arrival improves the squad, and we are always looking to improve.”
“In the Super League, he has a point to prove and some actual quality.
“Tex’s arrival provides some welcome competition at full-back.”
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