Doom and gloom at Castleford Tigers offset by team spirit insists coach Daryl Powell

Successive defeats to Hull and Salford Red Devils have damaged Tigers’ hopes of qualifying for the play-offs and Powell’s side have been struggling for form since their injury crisis worsened in March.

The 2017 table toppers and Grand Finalists began the year with four straight wins, but have lost 11 of their last 16 league and cup matches and Betfred Super League round 20 began with them sitting in eighth place in the table.

Despite that, only points difference separates them from fifth-placed Salford Red Devils and Powell believes they are still in a relatively healthy situation – though the table is so tight Castleford are now just three wins off bottom spot with 10 games to play.

London Broncos, who remain favourites for the drop, visit the Jungle on Sunday and that looks a much trickier fixture than seemed likely a few weeks ago, but Powell sees it as an opportunity to get back on track.

The coach admitted Tigers are low on confidence, but stressed: “I think we are all right.”

He said: “We aren’t playing well, but the spirit’s still good.

“We’ve just got to start playing better and believing in ourselves a bit more.

“Some key players are not playing well and we’ve just got to get them playing better as quickly as we can.”

That is not an overnight process, but the coach reckons one good half of rugby could help get Castleford’s season back on track.

“It takes a 40-minute effort when you are doing things well and then you go into the next half feeling pretty good about yourselves and it goes from there,” he noted.

“Sometimes it takes a bit more time than you would want to get the fruit of your labour, but mentality is massive, along with confidence.”

Castleford were struggling at the wrong end of the table when Powell took over in 2013, but have been one of the most consistent sides in the top flight since then.

Their current plight is new territory for them under Powell, but he believes they will be better for some hard lessons.

“There’s not been too many spells like this and we are learning a fair bit about each other and about ourselves,” he added.

“There’s not a team in Super League that wins consistently every single season.

“You are going to have a tough period at some point. You’ve just got to get on with it, it is not all doom and gloom.

We are working hard and staying as positive as we can.”

A win this weekend, in their first home game since March, would take some of the pressure off.

But London are a tougher proposition now than when Castleford thrashed them 40-6 at Ealing four months ago.

Former Castleford player Danny Ward’s side are on a three-game winning run – and have lost only one of their last five – to climb off the foot of the table.

Powell said: “I think they’ve played well all season, to be honest. “They’ve lost some games, but they have been really competitive.

“They are well coached, Wardy has done a great job.

“They are playing with a lot of confidence – which we aren’t – and they are a tough side to play against.”