Castleford Tigers 'down to 21 fit players' for final home game v Leigh Leopards
Castleford Tigers are down to “21 fit players” for their final home game of the season, against Leigh Leopards tomorrow (Friday).
Will Tate, who recently returned from a year-long layoff, won’t play again this season after damaging an ankle in last Saturday’s win at Hull FC, though the injury is not long-term. Liam Horne is serving a one-match suspension and Sylvester Namo begins a two-match ban.
Corey Hall will replace Tate and Cain Robb takes over from Horne. Daniel Hindmarsh comes in on the bench for Namo.
Jacob Miller, who missed last week’s game because of a foot injury, is in the initial squad, but coach Craig Lingard said he is “not 100 per cent fit” and won’t be risked, so impressive youngster Jenson Windley will continue in the halves.
“He has hobbled about a bit at training,” Lingard said of Miller. “He has put his hand up to play, he is desperate to play, but watching him in training, I don’t think there’s a necessity to put him back in.”
The coach stressed: “It has been easy to pick a 21 this week, because we’ve only got 21 fit players. We’ve had a difficult year with injuries, but it has allowed us to bring other people in. There’s no point moping about it, just crack on and deal with what you’ve got.”
Castleford Tigers: from Hooley, I Senior, Miller, Watts, McShane, Lawler, El-Zakhem, Mellor, Westerman, Milnes, Putt, Mustapha, Qareqare, Robb, Martin, Hill, Rooney, Hindmarsh, Hoy, C Hall, Windley.
Leigh Leopards: O’Brien, Hardaker, Leutele, Charnley, Moylan, Lam, Amone, Ipape, Mulhern, O’Donnell, Hughes, Asiata, Davis, Halton, Trout, Holmes, Brand, Hanley, Dwyer, McIntosh, Pene.
Referee: Aaron Moore (Wigan). Kick-off: Friday, 8pm.