Castleford Tigers 2023 season | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Super League 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) | |||
| ||||
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The 2023 season was the Castleford Tigers' 98th season in the Rugby Football League and their 16th consecutive season in the top flight of English rugby league. The club competed in the 2023 Super League and the 2023 Challenge Cup.
Castleford began the season under head coach Lee Radford, before he was sacked in March and replaced by his assistant Andy Last. Last himself was dismissed after five months in charge, with Danny Ward appointed for the remainder of the campaign. The team was captained by Paul McShane, with Joe Westerman as interim in his absence. They finished the Super League season in 11th place, narrowly surviving a relegation battle with Wakefield.
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]
Pre-season preparations were beset by coaching absences and disorganised, leaving the team on the back foot according to senior players Jordan Turner and Kenny Edwards. [6] [7] 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. [8] [9] Assistant coach Andy Last took charge of the team on an interim basis, while the club began a recruitment process for a permanent successor. [10] 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. After a further defeat away to Catalans, they 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. [11] 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. [12] In May, Craig Lingard was appointed as an assistant coach to Last. [13]
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, [14] 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 lengthy losing streak began to build up the pressure on Castleford. [15] A host of signings, including Liam Horne, Charbel Tasipale and Blake Austin, aimed to turn the tide back in Cas' favour [16] - however, on 4 August, a comprehensive loss against Huddersfield sent the Tigers bottom on points difference, with a number of fans staging a protest. [17] [18] That evening, the club announced that Last would depart with immediate effect. [19] [20]
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. [21] [22] The first fixture under the new staff saw a huge clash away at relegation rivals Wakefield, billed as the repeat of the 2006 'Battle of Belle Vue'. [23] The Tigers started as underdogs [24] [25] 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. [26] Despite sustaining extremely heavy defeats against Warrington, Wigan and Leeds in the closing rounds, Castleford confirmed an 11th-placed finish, [27] consigning Wakefield to the Championship and bringing a close to a disastrous and disappointing season. [28] Joe Westerman was named both Castleford Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year, and Jason Qareqare won a third consecutive Try of the Season award. [29]
No | Player | From | Contract | Date | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
19 | ![]() | ![]() | 2 years | 23 September 2022 | [30] |
20 | ![]() | ![]() | 1 year [a] | 3 October 2022 | [31] |
7 | ![]() | ![]() | 3 years | 4 October 2022 | [32] |
6 | ![]() | ![]() | 2 years | 6 October 2022 | [33] |
17 | ![]() | ![]() | 2 years | 2 December 2022 | [34] |
30 | ![]() | ![]() | 1 year [a] | 8 December 2022 | [35] |
27 | ![]() | ![]() | 1 year [a] | 10 December 2022 | [36] |
39 | ![]() | ![]() | 2½ years | 9 April 2023 | [37] |
— | ![]() | Unaffiliated | ½ year | 20 April 2023 | [38] |
45 | ![]() | ![]() | 1½ years [a] | 24 July 2023 | [39] |
44 | ![]() | ![]() | 1½ years [a] | 26 July 2023 | [40] |
No | Player | From | Loan type | Arrival | Return | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
38 | ![]() | ![]() | Season long, two-week recall | 2 April 2023 | 16 May 2023 | [41] [42] |
40 | ![]() | ![]() | Season-long, two-week recall | 13 June 2023 | 1 August 2023 | [43] [44] |
41 | ![]() | ![]() | Season-long | 4 July 2023 | 23 September 2023 | [45] [46] |
42 | ![]() | ![]() | Season-long | 20 July 2023 | 23 September 2023 | [47] [46] |
43 | ![]() | ![]() | Season-long | 20 July 2023 | 23 September 2023 | [47] [46] |
46 | ![]() | ![]() | Season-long | 3 August 2023 | 23 September 2023 | [48] [46] |
No | Player | To | Contract | Date | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 | ![]() | ![]() | 3 years | 6 July 2022 | [49] |
2 | ![]() | ![]() | 2 years | 26 August 2022 | [50] [51] |
20 | ![]() | Retired | 26 August 2022 | [50] | |
24 | ![]() | Retired | 26 August 2022 | [50] | |
26 | ![]() | ![]() | 1 year | 26 August 2022 | [50] [52] |
30 | ![]() | Retired | 26 August 2022 | [50] | |
27 | ![]() | ![]() | 3 years | 20 September 2022 | [53] |
31 | ![]() | ![]() | 2 years | 20 October 2022 | [54] |
21 | ![]() | Retired | 15 March 2023 | [55] | |
22 | ![]() | ![]() | ½ year | 22 May 2023 | [56] |
18 | ![]() | ![]() | 1 year | 21 June 2023 | [57] [58] |
4 | ![]() | ![]() | ½ year | 25 July 2023 | [59] [60] |
5 | ![]() | ![]() | ½ year | 25 July 2023 | [59] [60] |
No | Player | To | Loan type | Departure | Return | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
19 | ![]() | ![]() | Two-week | 5 April 2023 | 19 April 2023 | [61] |
31 | ![]() | ![]() | Two-week, rolling | 20 April 2023 | 2 June 2023 | [62] [63] |
22 | ![]() | ![]() | Two-week | 3 May 2023 | Permanent [c] | [64] |
16 | ![]() | ![]() | Season-long | 25 May 2023 | Permanent [d] | [65] |
27 | ![]() | ![]() | Two-week, rolling | 30 June 2023 | 14 July 2023 | [66] |
34 | ![]() | ![]() | Two-week, rolling | 30 June 2023 | 27 September 2023 | [66] [67] |
— | ![]() | ![]() | Two-week, rolling | 15 July 2023 | 27 September 2023 | [68] [67] |
19 | ![]() | ![]() | Season-long, two-week recall | 27 July 2023 | 25 September 2023 | [69] |
24 | ![]() | ![]() | Season-long, recall | 3 August 2023 | 4 September 2023 | [70] [71] |
15 | ![]() | ![]() | Season-long | 4 August 2023 | 25 September 2023 | [72] |
— | ![]() | ![]() | Two-week, rolling | 15 August 2023 | 29 August 2023 | [73] |
Castleford also agreed dual registration arrangements with the Halifax Panthers in the Championship and the Midlands Hurricanes in League 1. [74] [75]
Club | No | Player | App | T | G | DG | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 4 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
23 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
22 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
15 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
![]() | 27 | ![]() | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
28 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
30 | ![]() | 9 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 42 | |
25 | ![]() | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
— | ![]() | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
— | ![]() | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
31 | ![]() | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
26 | ![]() | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |
33 | ![]() | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
Date | Opposition | H/A | Venue | Result | Score | Tries | Goals | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sat 31 December | ![]() | A | Post Office Road | L | 10–26 | Wallis, Broadbent | Hookem (1/2) | [76] |
Sun 22 January [a] | ![]() | A | Cougar Park | (P) [b] | P–P | [77] | ||
Sun 29 January | ![]() | A | LEL Arena | W | 38–4 | Faraimo (2), Broadbent (2), Mellor, Mamo, Lawler | Hookem (5/7) | [78] |
Sun 5 February [c] | ![]() | H | Wheldon Road | W | 48–10 | Mellor, McShane (2), Faraimo (3), Fonua (2), Vete | Widdop (5/8), Massey (1/1) | [79] |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 27 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 722 | 360 | +362 | 40 | Qualification to Semi-finals |
2 | ![]() | 27 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 722 | 420 | +302 | 40 | |
3 | ![]() | 27 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 613 | 366 | +247 | 40 | Qualification to Eliminators |
4 | ![]() | 27 | 16 | 0 | 11 | 589 | 498 | +91 | 32 | |
5 | ![]() | 27 | 16 | 0 | 11 | 585 | 508 | +77 | 32 | |
6 | ![]() | 27 | 14 | 0 | 13 | 597 | 512 | +85 | 28 | |
7 | ![]() | 27 | 13 | 0 | 14 | 494 | 512 | −18 | 26 | |
8 | ![]() | 27 | 12 | 0 | 15 | 535 | 534 | +1 | 24 | |
9 | ![]() | 27 | 11 | 0 | 16 | 473 | 552 | −79 | 22 | |
10 | ![]() | 27 | 10 | 0 | 17 | 476 | 654 | −178 | 20 | |
11 | ![]() | 27 | 6 | 0 | 21 | 323 | 774 | −451 | 12 | |
12 | ![]() | 27 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 303 | 742 | −439 | 8 | Relegation to Championship |
Head coach | Overall [a] | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | |
![]() | 3 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 92 | -56 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 60 | -54 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 30 | 32 | -2 |
![]() | 18 | 4 | 14 | 208 | 464 | -256 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 108 | 226 | -118 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 74 | 214 | -140 |
![]() | 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 |
Date | Round | Opposition | H/A | Venue | Result | Score | Tries | Goals | Drop goals | Attendance | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sun 21 May | 6 | ![]() | H | Wheldon Road | L | 8–32 | Fonua, Tate | McShane (0/1), Hookem (0/1) | 4,249 | [134] [135] |
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