Five candidates to replace Lee Radford as Castleford Tigers coach

Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Andy Last, who was Radford’s assistant, will take charge for Friday’s Betfred Super League fixture at Huddersfield Giants.

Radford moved into the hot seat ahead of the 2022 season after long-serving Daryl Powell joined Warrington Wolves. Here’s five possible contenders to replace him.

1: Andy Last. The 41-year-old was caretaker-boss at Hull for much of the 2020 season, having been an assistant there under Radford. He was on Wakefield Trinity’s backroom staff the following year and then rejoined Radford at Tigers. Highly-rated, he was part of England’s coaching team for last year’s World Cup.

Andy Last. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

2: Danny Ward. Having begun his career at Leeds Rhinos, Ward, 42, made 25 appearances for Castleford Tigers in 2006 and also had spells with Hull KR and London Broncos, where he moved into coaching. He became team boss in 2018 and led Broncos to the Betfred Championship title at the first attempt, before narrowly failing to keep them in Super League the following year. He resigned in 2021.

3: James Ford. Another ex-Castleford player (10 appearances in 2009), Ford, 40, earned a reputation as an up and coming coaching talent by transforming York Knight’s from League One strugglers to Championship title challengers during an eight-year spell at the helm there. He resigned last year to take up a new role as assistant-coach at Wakefield Trinity.

4: Danny Orr. Now 44, Orr played 245 games for Tigers either side of spells at Wigan Warriors and London. He retired in 2012 and briefly served as Tigers’ caretaker-boss the following year. He left Tigers’ backroom staff, where he had been assistant to first Ian Millward and then Powell, at the end of 2020 and joined Salford Red Devils in a similar role the following year, but stepped down at the end of last season.

Danny Ward. Picture by Oskar Vierod/SWpix.com.

5: Craig Lingard. Aged 45, Lingard was assistant to John Kear at Batley Bulldogs - where he spent his playing career - before being appointed Keighley Cougars’ head-coach in 2017. He returned to Batley as team boss in 2020 and was Championship coach of the year in 2021. He steered Bulldogs to a Grand Final appearance last season, despite fewer resources than many of his rivals.