Castleford Tigers call up young guns for Wigan Warriors test
Centre Brad Graham, centre/second-row Robbie Storey, prop Sam Hall, second-row Brad Martin and 17-year-old England Youth full-back Bailey Hodgson have been named in coach Daryl Powell’s initial 21-man squad.
Props George Griffin and Tyla Hepi and loose-forward Adam Milner miss out after suffering concussion in last Sunday’s 28-10 win over Toronto Wolfpack, along with winger Greg Eden (knee).
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Hide AdCentre Peter Mata’utia’s appeal against a two-match ban, for a late hit on Wolfpack’s Jon Wilkin, was rejected so he also drops out.
Forwards Oliver Holmes and Junior Moors are named in the squad following injury and winger James Clare and second-row Lewis Peachey are also in contention, but winger Sosaia Feki and forwards Mike McMeeken, Matt Cook, Alex Foster and Jesse Sene-Lefao remain on the casualty list.
Wigan could be unchanged from the team which beat Warrington Wolves 16-10 last week in Betfred Super League round one.
Mitch Clark, a prop signed last year from Castleford, is also included in their 21, along with Chris Hankinson, Jake Shorrocks and Harry Smith.
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Hide AdCastleford Tigers: from Rankin, Olpherts, Shenton, Trueman, Richardson, Watts, McShane, Millington, Holmes, Massey, Blair, D Smith, Moors, Clare, O’Neill, Peachey, Graham, Storey, Martin, Hall, Hodgson.
Wigan Warriors: from Hardaker, Marshall, Hankinson, Burgess, French, Leuluai, Clubb, Powell, Isa, Farrell, O’Loughlin, Greenwood, Smithies, Partington, Byrne, Clark, Bibby, Jake Shorrocks, H Smith, Havard, Hastings.
Referee: Marcus Griffiths (Widnes).
Kick-off: Friday, 7.45pm.