Castleford Tigers: Return-from-injury Tigers trio tipped for first run-out at Wakefield

Coach Daryl Powell has named winger Joel Monaghan, stand-off Ben Roberts and prop Andy Lynch in a 21-man squad for the pre-season derby. Monaghan, who scored five tries in 18 games during his debut campaign for Cas, has not played since suffering a dislocated shoulder in a defeat at Salford on July 1.

And Roberts managed just five appearances in 2016 due to a foot problem.

The former New Zealand and Samoa international was sidelined from March until May, then suffered a recurrence on his comeback against Warrington Wolves at the Magic Weekend and was out of action for the rest of the campaign.

Lynch figured in 12 of Tigers’ first 13 matches last year, but did not play after breaking a leg against St Helens on May 1.

England scrum-half Luke Gale is also in Tigers’ squad and Matt Cook will make his first appearance of pre-season.

Signings Greg Eden, Tuoyo Egodo and Daniel Igbinedion will all back up from the Boxing Day win over Hull but Zak Hardaker and Jesse Sene-Lefao are rested, along with fellow senior players Michael Shenton, Rangi Chase, Grant Millington, Mike McMeeken and Nathan Massey.

Powell said: “We’ll have a strong starting team with some young players on the bench.”