Castleford Tigers v Warrington Wolves – Cas can rise to Daryl Powell’s challenge, insists James Clare

Tigers play host to Warrington Wolves tomorrow and then face Hull KR (away), London Broncos (home), Huddersfield Giants (away), St Helens (away), Hull (home) and Wigan (away).

“Daryl has put a bit of a challenge to us as players to be winning every single game from now until the end of the year and that will hopefully get us in a great position come the final game,” Clare confirmed.

A 36-16 win at Wakefield Trinity last week kept their top-five hopes alive, but Castleford have not picked up back-to-back wins since the opening four games of the season. Clare insisted: “Every game is a must-win if we want to do anything at all, but I feel every time we perform and do what we are good at we can challenge every team.

“St Helens and Warrington are the two stand-out teams and they set the benchmark, but I do think it is realistic and it’s what we need to do to take some confidence into the end of the year.”

Tigers are sixth, one place and two points outside the play-offs zone and Clare stressed: “Warrington are the kind of team we need to be beating.

“It’s all good beating the likes of London every now and then, but Warrington are a team we might face come the business end of the year.

“Hopefully we can get a win against them now and it can give us a bit of confidence going into some more of the games.”

Clare reckons the success last week has given Tigers something to build on.

“It’s never an easy place to go, especially in Cas versus Wakefield derbies,” he added. “Both teams seem to find a little bit more. The crowd create a good atmosphere and it makes players a bit more revved up and carrying the ball is a bit more difficult because you know people are flying out of the line for the big shot. It was an extremely difficult win and one of those we had to grind out for 60-odd minutes.”

Though Clare’s three tries were crucial, he insisted: “Sometimes as a winger it’s just a case of catching the ball and putting it down over the line.

“It’s all that effort the middle men did that tires out the middle men on the opposition team. Eventually when they get tired there ends up being a little bit of extra space out wide. Jacob Trueman ran they show and I just got the ball and put it down.”

The hat-trick was a boost for Clare during what he admitted has been a “difficult year”. He reflected: “When everyone’s not playing as well as they can it makes it difficult to try and stand out.

“It’s just a matter of doing your job and doing it well. I have had a bit of a rollercoaster, up and down at times, but a few good performances lately and hopefully I can continue.”

Powell will select his side from the 17 on duty against Wakefield, plus props Will Maher and Daniel Smith. With a Challenge Cup semi-final against Hull a week away, Warrington coach Steve Price has named a 21-man squad. Chris Hill is available after a ban and Harvey Livett and Luis Johnson have been recalled from loan at Hull KR, but Sitaleki Akauola is suspended.

Tigers’ women’s side will take on Wakefield Trinity after the men’s game.

Castleford Tigers: from Blair, Clare, Clarkson, Egodo, Holmes, Maher, Massey, Mata’utia, McMeeken, McShane, Millington, Milner, Minikin, O’Neill, Rankin, Sene-Lefao, Smith, Trueman, Watts.

Warrington Wolves: from Austin, Burrell, Charnley, D Clark, J Clark, Cooper, Currie, Davis, Goodwin, Hill, Hughes, Johnson, King, Lineham, Livett, Mamo, Moran, Patton, Philbin, Tasi, Walker.

Referee: Scott Mikalauskas (Leigh).

Kick-off: Tomorrow, 3.30pm.