Liam Watts targeting a big year for Castleford Tigers and a possible Test place

FRONT-ROWER LIAM Watts is hoping his form for Castleford Tigers this season can carry him into Test contention.
Liam Watts is tackled by Huddersfield's Michael Lawrence.Liam Watts is tackled by Huddersfield's Michael Lawrence.
Liam Watts is tackled by Huddersfield's Michael Lawrence.

Watts has yet to catch the eye of England coach Wayne Bennett, but Great Britain will be touring at the end of this year and that is one of the prop’s long-term target so for 2019 – as well as an objective coach Daryl Powell has for him.

“It is always in the back of your mind,” said the 28-year-old who returned to his hometown club from Hull part-way through last year.

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“I want to be as consistent as I can and I’ve sat down with Daryl and he wants to try and get me in there.

Liam Watts.Liam Watts.
Liam Watts.

“I just think there’s a few areas I need to tidy up game-wise, but I am working on that in training and hopefully that shows on the park.”

Watts knows the more successful Tigers are, the better chance he and his team-mates have of securing international honours.

“The most successful teams, like Leeds over the years, Wigan, St Helens, they all have eight or nine players that are in and around the international game,” he pointed out.

“We are trying to get that as much as we can.

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“We had a couple last year with Oggy [Oliver Holmes] and Adz [Adam Milner] and I think Macca [Paul McShane] has been very hard done by.

“Galey [Luke Gale] is in there, Truey [Jacob Trueman] is with the Knights and Mike [McMeeken] has been in the England squad so we are trying to build the number of players who are on the international scene.”

Tigers are six days into a warm weather training camp in Lanzarote and will visit Leeds Rhinos for Kallum Watkins’ testimonial game on Sunday.

“I’ve been really enjoying it,” Watts said of pre-season.

“It has been intense and physical and we’ve had a real good crack.”

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Having missed pre-season with Tigers 12 months ago, Watts reckons he will be better for this year’s experience.

“Last year I didn’t think it was going to be as hard as it actually was,” he recalled.

“It’s my hometown club, I’ve been here before and I know everybody, but it’s tough.

“I didn’t realise how hard it was going to be, being with one set of lads and then coming to a team that’s totally different in every aspect.

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“It was hard in certain situations, but in the last five or six weeks I really got my head down and wanted to do the best I could.

“I wanted to get to a Grand Final last year, we just came short, but we have got that chance again this year and I’ve been trying my hardest from day one.

“I’m not saying I wasn’t trying my hardest last year, but I was having to put time into other things.

“Now I am fully focused on the job in hand.”

Despite those reservations, Watts felt he played well in 2018.

He added: “I thought I was very consistent last year.

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“That’s how I am anyway, personally in my life in and out of rugby.

“I am having to work on different areas to bring the best to the team that I can.

“It is totally different to the style I used to, we have got threats all over the park so you’re not just relying in certain people to do certain stuff.

“It’s just finding a way how I can exploit that and bring my best to the team.”