Castleford Tigers 'on right track' says Kenny Edwards ahead of Catalans Dragons clash

Edwards admitted he felt “a bit broken” at the start of the week, following a spell of four games in 15 days, but insisted: “Our confidence is pretty high at the moment.”

Tigers - who visit one of Edwards’ former clubs, Catalans Dragons, on Friday - are on a three-game winning run and have come out on top in their last four Betfred Super League fixtures.

After losing their first three, they have climbed to seventh in the table and Edwards said: “We didn’t start the season the way we wanted, but we are a whole new team and we didn’t get to have a pre-season game against a Super League team.

“I think that was the reason we started a bit slowly, but hopefully now we are starting to play the way we like to play and we are getting better every week.

“We are still a long way off, but we are heading on the right track.”

Former Wakefield Trinity full-back Ryan Hampshire, who broke a hand in a reserves game days after rejoining the club last month, is in contention for his second Tigers debut and Sam Hall and Suaia Matagi are also added to the 17 on duty in last Friday’s defeat of St Helens.

Catalans are without half-back Josh Drinkwater who suffered a foot injury in last week’s defeat at Hull and their casualty list also included talisman Sam Tomkins and ex-Castleford forward Mike McMeeken, but Jordan Dezaria returns to their initial squad.

Catalans Dragons: from Mourgue, Davies, Yaha, Pearce, Dudson, McIlorum, Bousquet, Whitley, Garcia, Da Costa, Jullien, Seguier, Goudemand, Laguerre, Romano, May, Napa, Dezaria, Cozza, Rouge, Kasiano.

Castleford Tigers: from Olpherts, Mamo, Trueman, Richardson, Watts, McShane, Lawler, Edwards, Milner, Westerman, Massey, Griffin, Fonua, Clare, Smith, Matagi, Hampshire, Martin, Hall, O’Brien, Qareqare.

Referee: Liam Moore (Wigan).

Kick-off: Friday, 7.30pm UK time.