Castleford Tigers: Green's naked ambition galvanised by first try

Green, who joined Castleford on a one-year contract last November, started the 16-4 win at prop and was voted Tigers fans’ man of the match after a powerful performance which included a close-range try.

It was his second appearance, having also featured in the Boxing Day defeat to Featherstone Rovers and the former Hull KR and Leigh Centurions man reckons he will get better with more time alongside his new team-mates.

“You don’t get harder conditions than that,” Green admitted of the game two days ago. “It was heavy on the legs, but for me it was good to get out there with all the senior players. To be part of the strongest 17 this team has got, plus a few more, was great for me.”

The try was a welcome bonus. He added: “I was joking about it with my brother-in-law because I haven’t scored in so long, then all of a sudden I get one.

“It doesn’t get me off the nude run [punishment for a player who doesn’t score during the competitive season], but I’ll take it.

“The last one I got was in 2016. The best I’ve ever done was two in one year, which was that year, so if I can get some more it’ll be great.”

The elements meant neither team had a chance to show what they can do, but Green felt it was a step in the right direction ahead of the Betfred Super League round-one game at St Helens on Friday, February 2.

“We’ve only had Galey [Luke Gale] back for a week or so and Mike [McMeeken] hasn’t been in too long.

“And we’ve got a new full-back as well, so we’re just trying to get all the combinations together,” he said. “But the more this team stays together in training and in games, it will definitely start to click.”

Tigers spent last week at a warm-weather camp in Lanzarote and Green said: “That was a week of intense training and we got everything out of it we wanted to.

“The field sessions were certainly clicking and on the back of that, in your spare time you’re in each other’s pocket, so for new guys like me it was perfect to be able to bond and get to know people you wouldn’t usually hang around with.

“I feel a great part of this team now and I’m loving it here. It is great, the lads have welcomed me with open arms and I feel like I’ve been here a lot longer than 12 weeks.

“To have such great players around you, it makes my life that bit easier. I feel very comfortable here and hopefully I can kick on and get to where I want to be.”