Castleford's Ben Crooks tips Tigers to challenge for honours

Ben Crooks believes he will be competing for silverware this season after returning to Super League with Castleford Tigers.

The 22-year-old former Hull centre is back in England after a season in Australia with the Parramatta Eels during which he failed to feature in an NRL game.

Crooks, whose father Lee played for Castleford in the 1990s, is now looking forward to playing for his hometown club under coach Daryl Powell.

He told the Pontefract & Castleford Express: "Cas have been going really well. Daryl has pulled them out of a great hole.

"People were tipping them to finish bottom of the league and they ended up coming back and finishing fourth in 2014, then in 2015 they just missed the top four.

"There's great expectation on this club now. People are seeing us up there and now we are expected to do something more than just be close runners.

"We feel that we can really go out and win something this year.

"The club is getting a new stadium. It is definitely a club on the up and it's something I am looking forward to being part of."

Crooks has signed a three-year contract with the Tigers and says he has settled in well at the club.

He added: "I've only been here a short while but I'm really enjoying coming training.

"I think that's one of the biggest things you can do in the game. If you don't enjoy where you're playing and going to work you are not going to get the best out of you.

"Everyone here seems to love training here and I'm sure it can bring the best out of me. They are a great set of lads and Daryl's a great coach."