'My CEO would have a heart attack': Lee Radford distances Castleford Tigers from Zak Hardaker

The England man is targeting a return to Yorkshire after leaving Wigan Warriors, sparking speculation over his next destination.

Hardaker's form for Castleford earned him a place in the 2017 Super League Dream Team but he left the club under a cloud after missing the Grand Final due to a failed drugs test.

Radford has insisted that the Tigers have not even discussed the possibility of bringing Hardaker back to Wheldon Road.

"I'll take anybody who wants a game next week," joked Radford after watching his side see off an understrength St Helens in their third game in eight days.

"But no look, that's going to be thrown around us, Leeds and anybody else in Yorkshire; I think he's said he wants to come back to Yorkshire so anybody this side of the Pennines will be getting touted about with Zak.

"I don't think we have the cap space. My CEO would have a heart attack if I mentioned cap space to him."

The Tigers ended the night in the top six after claiming a 30-10 victory over a Saints team that contained seven debutants.

Radford felt his side were on a hiding to nothing at the end of a gruelling Easter programme.

"If we'd put 50 on them, it was expected," said the Castleford head coach. "If it was a close game, we hadn't done our job and it's disgusting.

"I was petrified when they scored that last try (to make it 18-10) because they were fresh legged and fresh faced.

"I thought they played with some juice and energy, and the dad's army did a good job of killing the game off at the end."

The Tigers made the perfect start thanks to Jason Qareqare's stunning solo effort but St Helens were every bit as enthusiastic as Radford expected.

"I had a tougher game in my head than most people thought," said Radford, who revealed Greg Eden will undergo a scan after suffering a setback in the build-up.

"I've obviously been in and around the group these last eight days and it knocks you about physically.

"In that last five, 10 minutes everybody in a Castleford shirt is holding a limb at some point.

"To get through it with no real knocks leading into next week is massive for us."