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Castleford Tigers 2023 season | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Super League XXVIII Rank | 11th | |||
Play-off result | Did not qualify | |||
Challenge Cup | Sixth round | |||
2023 record | Wins: 6; draws: 0; losses: 22 | |||
Points scored | For: 323; against: 774 | |||
Team information | ||||
Chairman | Ian Fulton | |||
Head Coach | Lee Radford (sacked 6 March)
| |||
Captain | ||||
Stadium | The Jungle (Wheldon Road) | |||
Avg. attendance | 7,171 | |||
Agg. attendance | 93,217 | |||
High attendance | 10,042 | |||
Low attendance | 5,788 | |||
Top scorers | ||||
Tries | Greg Eden (9) | |||
Goals | Gareth Widdop (37) | |||
Points | Gareth Widdop (79) | |||
| ||||
|
The 2023 season was the Castleford Tigers' 98th season in existence and 16th consecutive season in the top flight of English rugby league. The club competed in the Super League XXVIII and the 2023 Challenge Cup.
Having finished the 2022 season in 7th place, falling short of play-off qualification on the final day, Castleford recruited high-profile signings including Gareth Widdop, Jacob Miller and Albert Vete.[1] Going into Lee Radford's second year as head coach, expectations were mixed:[2][3] a new-look spine was an enticing prospect,[4] however the Tigers squad also had the league's highest average age.[5]
In a poor start to the season, Castleford fell to defeats against Hull FC and St Helens. A heavy loss to Wigan in round 3 proved a tipping point, with Radford relieved of his first-team duties on 6 March.[6][7] Assistant coach Andy Last took charge of the team on an interim basis, while the club began a recruitment process for a permanent successor.[8] Centre Jake Mamo also departed the squad on 15 March after announcing his retirement.
The Tigers registered their first win of the season in round 5 against the Leeds Rhinos, in between miserable losses to Huddersfield and Warrington. They also secured a Rivals Round victory over Wakefield. On 19 April, after overseeing two wins from six matches in charge, Last was appointed full-time head coach on a two-and-a-half-year deal.[9] Castleford came close against Salford and Hull KR, but ultimately entered into a six-match losing streak, including elimination from the Challenge Cup at the first time of asking in front of a decade-low home crowd.[10] In May, Craig Lingard was appointed as an assistant coach to Last.[11]
The Magic Weekend provided the occasion of their third victory, with Qareqare's try and Widdop's conversion completing a comeback over Leeds. A large loss to Salford followed, with captain Paul McShane's season ended by a fractured forearm,[12] although the Tigers consolidated with a win over out-of-form Warrington. Positioned 11th in the table and with bottom placed Wakefield picking up form, another losing streak built up the pressure on Castleford.[13] A host of signings, including Liam Horne, Charbel Tasipale and Blake Austin, aimed to turn the tide back in Cas' favour[14] - however, on 4 August, a heavy loss to Huddersfield sent the Tigers bottom on points difference, with a number of fans staging a protest.[15][16] That evening, the club announced that Last would depart with immediate effect.[17][18]
On 9 August, Castleford confirmed the appointment of Danny Ward as head coach on a deal until the end of the season, with Dane Dorahy joining as an assistant.[19][20] The first fixture under the new staff saw a huge clash at the home of relegation rivals Wakefield, billed as the repeat of the 2006 'Battle of Belle Vue'.[21] The Tigers started as underdogs[22][23] but fought to a vital 28–12 victory, with Greg Eden scoring a hat-trick. Now with the upper hand, a win against Hull FC in Castleford's final home game all but guaranteed survival.[24] Despite sustaining extremely heavy defeats against Warrington, Wigan and Leeds in the closing rounds, Castleford confirmed an 11th-placed finish,[25] consigning Wakefield to the Championship and bringing a close to a disastrous and disappointing season.[26]
No | Player | From | Contract | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
19 | Albert Vete | Hull Kingston Rovers | 2 years | 23 September 2022[27][28][29] |
20 | Muizz Mustapha | Leeds Rhinos | 1 year[lower-alpha 1] | 3 October 2022[30][31][32] |
7 | Jacob Miller | Wakefield Trinity | 3 years | 4 October 2022[33][34][35] |
6 | Gareth Widdop | Warrington Wolves | 2 years | 6 October 2022[36][37][38] |
17 | Jack Broadbent | Leeds Rhinos | 2 years | 2 December 2022[39][40][41] |
30 | Jacob Hookem | Hull FC | 1 year[lower-alpha 1] | 8 December 2022[42][43][44] |
27 | Bailey Dawson | Hull Kingston Rovers | 1 year[lower-alpha 1] | 10 December 2022[45][46][47] |
39 | Will Tate | Hull Kingston Rovers | 2½ years | 9 April 2023[48][49][50] |
— | Jacques O'Neill | Unaffiliated | ½ year | 20 April 2023[51][52][53] |
45 | Liam Horne | Norths Devils | 1½ years[lower-alpha 1] | 24 July 2023[54][55][56] |
44 | Charbel Tasipale | Newtown Jets | 1½ years[lower-alpha 1] | 26 July 2023[57][58][59] |
No | Player | From | Loan type | Arrival | Return |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
38 | Luis Johnson | Hull Kingston Rovers | Season long, two-week recall | 2 April 2023[60] | 16 May 2023[61] |
40 | Riley Dean | Warrington Wolves | Season-long, two-week recall | 13 June 2023[62] | 1 August 2023[63] |
41 | Jordan Johnstone | Widnes Vikings | Season-long | 4 July 2023[64] | 23 September 2023[65] |
42 | Alex Foster | Newcastle Thunder | Season-long | 20 July 2023[66] | |
43 | Billy Tsikrikas | Canterbury Bulldogs | Season-long | ||
46 | Blake Austin | Leeds Rhinos | Season-long | 3 August 2023[67] |
No | Player | To | Contract | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
24 | Cheyse Blair | Retired | 26 August 2022[68][69][70] | |
20 | James Clare | |||
30 | Sosaia Feki | |||
26 | Ryan Hampshire | Wigan Warriors | 1 year | |
2 | Derrell Olpherts | Leeds Rhinos | 2 years | |
6 | Jake Trueman | Hull FC | 3 years | |
27 | Lewis Peachey | Sheffield Eagles | 3 years | 20 September 2022[71][72] |
31 | Gareth O'Brien | Leigh Leopards | 2 years | 20 October 2022[73][74] |
21 | Jake Mamo | Retired | 15 March 2023[75][76][77] | |
22 | Daniel Smith | Featherstone Rovers | ½ year | 22 May 2023[78][79] |
18 | Callum McLelland | Retired | 21 June 2023[80][81][82] | |
5 | Bureta Faraimo | Doncaster[lower-alpha 2] | ½ year | 25 July 2023[83][84][85] |
4 | Mahe Fonua |
No | Player | To | Loan type | Departure | Return |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
19 | Albert Vete | Featherstone Rovers | Two-week | 5 April 2023[86] | 19 April 2023[lower-alpha 3] |
31 | Jason Qareqare | Bradford Bulls | Two-week, rolling | 20 April 2023[87] | 2 June 2023[88] |
22 | Daniel Smith | Featherstone Rovers | Two-week | 3 May 2023[89] | Permanent[lower-alpha 4] |
16 | Adam Milner | Huddersfield Giants | Season-long | 25 May 2023[90] | Permanent[lower-alpha 5] |
27 | Bailey Dawson | Whitehaven | Two-week, rolling | 30 June 2023[91] | 14 July 2023[lower-alpha 3] |
34 | George Hill | 27 September 2023[92] | |||
— | Will Groves[lower-alpha 6] | Whitehaven | Two-week, rolling | 15 July 2023[93] | |
19 | Albert Vete | Doncaster | Season-long, two-week recall | 27 July 2023[94] | 25 September 2023[lower-alpha 3] |
24 | Cain Robb | Swinton Lions | Season-long, recall | 3 August 2023[95] | 4 September 2023[96] |
15 | Alex Sutcliffe | Halifax Panthers | Season-long | 4 August 2023[97] | 25 September 2023[lower-alpha 3] |
— | Jacques O'Neill | Sheffield Eagles | Two-week, rolling | 15 August 2023[98] | 29 August 2023[lower-alpha 3] |
Castleford also agreed dual registration arrangements with the Halifax Panthers in the Championship and the Midlands Hurricanes in League 1.[99][100]
Club | No | Player | App | T | G | DG | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Halifax Panthers | 4 | Mahe Fonua | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
23 | Suaia Matagi | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
22 | Daniel Smith | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
15 | Alex Sutcliffe[lower-alpha 7] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Midlands Hurricanes | 27 | Bailey Dawson | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
28 | Sam Hall | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
30 | Jacob Hookem | 9 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 42 | |
25 | Brad Martin | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
— | Courage Mhuklani[lower-alpha 6] | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
— | Scott Murrell[lower-alpha 8] | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
31 | Jason Qareqare | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
26 | Elliot Wallis | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |
33 | Aaron Willis | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
Date | Opposition | H/A | Venue | Result | Score | Tries | Goals | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sat 31 December | Featherstone Rovers | A | Post Office Road | L | 10–26 | Wallis, Broadbent | Hookem (1/2) | [101] |
Sun 22 January[lower-alpha 1] | Keighley Cougars | A | Cougar Park | (P)[lower-alpha 2] | P–P | [102] | ||
Sun 29 January | Whitehaven R.L.F.C. | A | LEL Arena | W | 38–4 | Faraimo (2), Broadbent (2), Mellor, Mamo, Lawler | Hookem (5/7) | [103] |
Sun 5 February[lower-alpha 3] | Huddersfield Giants | H | Wheldon Road | W | 48–10 | Mellor, McShane (2), Faraimo (3), Fonua (2), Vete | Widdop (5/8), Massey (1/1) | [104] |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Wigan Warriors (L, C) | 27 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 722 | 360 | +362 | 40 | Qualification to Semi-finals |
2 | Catalans Dragons | 27 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 722 | 420 | +302 | 40 | |
3 | St. Helens | 27 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 613 | 366 | +247 | 40 | Qualification to Eliminators |
4 | Hull KR | 27 | 16 | 0 | 11 | 589 | 498 | +91 | 32 | |
5 | Leigh Leopards | 27 | 16 | 0 | 11 | 585 | 508 | +77 | 32 | |
6 | Warrington Wolves | 27 | 14 | 0 | 13 | 597 | 512 | +85 | 28 | |
7 | Salford Red Devils | 27 | 13 | 0 | 14 | 494 | 512 | −18 | 26 | |
8 | Leeds Rhinos | 27 | 12 | 0 | 15 | 535 | 534 | +1 | 24 | |
9 | Huddersfield Giants | 27 | 11 | 0 | 16 | 473 | 552 | −79 | 22 | |
10 | Hull FC | 27 | 10 | 0 | 17 | 476 | 654 | −178 | 20 | |
11 | Castleford Tigers | 27 | 6 | 0 | 21 | 323 | 774 | −451 | 12 | |
12 | Wakefield Trinity (R) | 27 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 303 | 742 | −439 | 8 | Relegation to Championship |
Head coach | Overall[lower-alpha 1] | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | |
Lee Radford | 3 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 92 | -56 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 60 | -54 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 30 | 32 | -2 |
Andy Last | 18 | 4 | 14 | 208 | 464 | -256 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 108 | 226 | -118 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 74 | 214 | -140 |
Danny Ward | 6 | 2 | 4 | 79 | 218 | -139 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 33 | 46 | -13 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 46 | 172 | -126 |
Total | 27 | 6 | 21 | 323 | 774 | -451 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 147 | 332 | -185 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 150 | 418 | -268 |
No | Player | App | T | G | DG | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Niall Evalds | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2 | Greg Eden | 15 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
3 | Jordan Turner | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
4 | Mahe Fonua | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
5 | Bureta Faraimo | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
6 | Gareth Widdop | 21 | 1 | 37 | 1 | 79 |
7 | Jacob Miller | 26 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
8 | George Lawler | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
9 | Paul McShane | 15 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 20 |
10 | George Griffin | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
11 | Kenny Edwards | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
12 | Alex Mellor | 26 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
13 | Joe Westerman | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
14 | Nathan Massey | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
15 | Alex Sutcliffe | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
16 | Adam Milner | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
17 | Jack Broadbent | 26 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
18 | Callum McLelland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
19 | Albert Vete | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
20 | Muizz Mustapha | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
21 | Jake Mamo | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
22 | Daniel Smith | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
23 | Suaia Matagi | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
24 | Cain Robb | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
25 | Brad Martin | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
26 | Elliot Wallis | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
27 | Bailey Dawson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
28 | Sam Hall | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
29 | Kieran Hudson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
30 | Jacob Hookem | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
31 | Jason Qareqare | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
32 | Liam Watts | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
33 | Aaron Willis | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
34 | George Hill | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
35 | Ilikaya Mafi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
36 | Hugo Nikhata | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
37 | Danny Richardson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
38 | Luis Johnson | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
39 | Will Tate | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
40 | Riley Dean | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
41 | Jordan Johnstone | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
42 | Alex Foster | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
43 | Billy Tsikrikas | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
44 | Charbel Tasipale | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
45 | Liam Horne | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
46 | Blake Austin | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
47 | Fletcher Rooney | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Big table
Top try scorers
Top goal scorers
Top points scorers
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