Castleford Tigers v Huddersfield Giants: Adam Milner out to transform his and Tigers’ campaign

Two weeks between games could transform Castleford Tigers forward Adam Milner’s season, he believes.
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Adam Milner.Adam Milner.
Adam Milner.

Tigers, who face visitors Huddersfield Giants tomorrow night, have not played since a 36-16 Magic Weekend defeat by St Helens 12 days ago.

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The long turnaround has given them time to rest and refresh and, after what he reckons has been a below-par campaign so far, Milner says he is ready to regain his best form.

Milner was outstanding at loose-forward last season, earning an England call up at the end of the year.

This term has been tougher for Tigers who have been ravaged by injuries and Milner has, at times, had to revert to hooker, the position he played in at the start of his career.

Adam Milner.Adam Milner.
Adam Milner.

“I have been a bit inconsistent,” he admitted. “I have been moved around, into nine with Macca [Paul McShane] being out a few weeks and I have probably been below my standard.

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“But the break has been massive for me, I have enjoyed it and I am looking forward to sort of starting my season now and really getting into the back end of the year.”

With 13 games to go, the business end of the Betfred Super League campaign is approaching rapidly.

“We are still in a decent position, in fifth,” Milner noted. “There’s a cluster of teams all around the same points.

Nathan Massey.Nathan Massey.
Nathan Massey.

“St Helens and Warrington are leading the way a little bit but, if we string a couple of wins together and find some consistent form, it puts us right in there, in a really good position.”

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Considering the number key players they have been without, for all or part of the season, Milner reckons Tigers have done well to hang on to a play-offs spot.

He pointed out: “There’s weeks when we have been down to our last 17 players.

“Young kids have put their hand up and done a good job for us but, hopefully, we’ll start getting some key players back and then start hitting some straps and start firing for the business end of the season.”

Mitch Clark.Mitch Clark.
Mitch Clark.

League leaders and Grand Finalists two years ago, Tigers have flown under the radar this year. Milner added: “I think a lot of people have probably written us off already..

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“We believe we can do something this year and we won’t stop until there’s nothing else we can do.

“We have had a break and come back in with a fresh mindset and fresh attitude and we’ve trained really well.

“Hopefully we’ll kick-start our season now.”

Giants, who won 20-18 when the sides met in April, will have something to say about that.

And Milner warned: “We’ve previewed them this week and they are a strong outfit.

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“They’ve got a massive forward pack and also massive threats on the edges.

“They probably are one of the form teams in the competition at the moment.

“But we are at home, we’ve got a few home games coming up and we are certainly looking to win all of them.”

Coach Daryl Powell meanwhile will select Tigers’ side from the 17 players on duty against Saints, plus Nathan Massey, who has recovered from a hip injury, and Mitch Clark.

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Sam Hewitt and Louis Senior are in contention for Giants, along with the team which crushed Hull 55-2 at the Magic Weekend.

Castleford Tigers: from Aston, Blair, Clare, Clark, Clarkson, Cook, Eden, Maher, Massey, Mata’utia, McMeeken, McShane, Millington, Milner, Minikin, Rankin, Smith, Trueman, Watts.

Huddersfield Giants: from McIntosh, McGillvary, Turner, Gaskell, Clough, Leeming, Matagi, Murphy, Mellor, Lawrence, O’Brien, Ta’ai, English, Jake Wardle, Russell, Hewitt, L Senior, I Senior, Joe Wardle.

Referee: Ben Thaler (Wakefield).

Kick-off: Tomorrow, 7.45pm.