Castleford Tigers target mental toughness in pre-season reveals Mata'utia

A MENTALLY tougher Castleford Tigers team will take to the field in Sunday's pre-season game at Leeds Rhinos, full-back Peter Mata'utia reckons.

Kallum Watkins’ testimonial game will come three days after Tigers return from a warm-weather training camp in Lanzarote.

And Mata’utia – signed midway through last year from Leigh Centurions – insisted they will be ready to rip in and prove a hard pre-season has paid off.

“We’ve been working sort of more defensive, trying to get us mentally stronger,” Mata’utia revealed.

Castleford Tigers head coach, Daryl Powell. PIC: Richard Sellers/PA Wire

“The last couple of years Cas have lost big games and just haven’t played the same in these games.

“The boys have been digging in and I’m excited for the Leeds trial match.

“I really want to win this game and want to get off to a great start heading into round one.”

Tigers finished third in Betfred Super League last season, but were beaten at Wigan Warriors in a play-offs semi-final.

Jordan Rankin, signed from Huddersfield Giants in exchange for Joe Wardle, is their only new face, but Mata’utia is upbeat about Castleford’s prospects.

“We’ve got a lot of young kids who have been training with us and they’ve been doing a good job,” he said.

“I think we’ll be up there again. We have a good chance of being in that Grand Final this year despite Galey [Luke Gale] being injured.