Castleford: Super 8s preview
Thursday 6 August 2015 16:47, UK
We take a look at the Super League season so far, and the season ahead for Castleford Tigers.
Story so far:
Huge praise must go to Daryl Powell for turning round a side that ended up dazzling last season, shocking everybody by finishing fourth and reaching the Challenge Cup final.
It’s difficult to continue that momentum and prove it was no one-season wonder. Indeed Castleford’s finishing position in 2014 provided the tipsters amongst us with much debate given the major squad changes Powell had to endure.
With Daryl Clark gone, things could have gone badly for the Tigers, and they didn’t start well, winning just one of their first five games. But all credit to them for turning it round and putting themselves in play-off contention again. It says it all that Powell will be disappointed to have finished fifth, just two points off the Giants.
What’s gone right:
Credit, once again, has to go to the coach. He’s defied belief by once more getting the best out of players nobody would have believed could feature for a top five side at any stage of their Super League career.
Castleford play exciting Rugby League, are willing to try things, and it might have been even better had a couple of tight results gone their way. Powell’s revolution is a joy to watch.
What’s gone wrong:
As mentioned above, not being able to convert tight games into wins. They lost five games by eight points or less. With the exception of a brilliant one-point win over St Helens, Castleford picked up where they left off in 2014, losing games they probably should have won. Catalans beat them by a point, Wakefield by two and Hull FC by three.
If they can add that mental edge that Leeds, Saints and Wigan display consistently throughout a season, things could get even better.
Super 8 chances:
The experience of play-off football last season will help, but now’s the acid test for Powell’s side with the pressure really on. But they have nothing to fear. They’ve beaten St Helens, Leeds and Wigan this season.
And getting the hoodoo off their back at Headingley with a 31-24 win in June will give them no end of confidence. With vociferous support guaranteed wherever they play, watch out for the Tigers rattling a few cages in the 8s.
One to watch:
Justin Carney’s the obvious choice given his 15 tries this season, and though the Tank is undoubtedly a brilliant player, his fellow wingman has also been flying high. Denny Solomona signed from London Broncos last winter, and has matched Carney’s tally, grabbing 15 tries of his own, but in just 11 games compared to Carney’s 15.
Capable of going from the sublime to the ridiculous, Solomona still needs to cut out the silly errors. But he’s got spectacular tries in his armoury, as shown by his 90-metre effort against St Helens, so watch out for a few more sensational efforts in the Super 8s. He’ll miss the first few games with an ankle injury - so expect him to come back firing on all cylinders.
