Castleford Tigers boss admits 'we didn't do the fans justice' after last-gasp Super League defeat by Hull KR

It was Tigers’ first game in front of a crowd since March last year and 3,600 spectators saw them throw away a 14-0 lead with what Powell described as some “ridiculous” play.

“It was weird coming down Wheldon Road and seeing all the fans,” Powell said after his side’s second defeat of 2021.

“Obviously that’s fantastic and it was great to have an atmosphere in, but we just didn’t do the fans justice, which is what we really wanted.

“We just weren’t good enough.

“They’ll have gone home disappointed and that’s the last thing we’d have wanted to happen.”

Rovers led for only the final two minutes of the game and Powell reckoned Tigers contributed to their own downfall.

He said: “It has probably been coming, I don’t think we’ve been really playing that well.

“I thought Hull KR were really good with the ball - they challenge you a little bit differently to some other teams, have some really powerful players on their edges and we didn’t quite match up to that.

“In particular, our right edge got put under a lot of pressure.

“Their left edge is playing some great rugby league at the moment and we just didn’t handle it.

“I don’t know what we were thinking at times.”

Powell added: “Some of the messages we’re giving I don’t think are being heeded.

“It was disappointing.

"Defensively and discipline-wise, quite a lot of the players need to take a hard look at themselves.

“We all do - we have all got to review and analyse ourselves, but we’re not going to be successful playing like that so we need to step up.

“There were some errors there that were just fundamental.

“I thought we did some ridiculous things at time, things players playing at this level really shouldn't do.”

Tigers are back in action on Saturday, away to Warrington Wolves.

“There needs to be an honest discussion when we’re in on Wednesday and then we move on,” Powell stressed.

“It’s a short turnaround and we’re going to need to be a lot better than that.”

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