Castleford’s Alex Mellor is adamant Luke Robinson should get the Huddersfield gig – but intends on scuppering his latest audition.
The two West Yorkshire clubs face each other at Magic Weekend on Sunday with an unusual target in mind: to finish fourth bottom. It’s a sign of the predicament both are in that that’s about as high as they can aim in Super League. Castleford were always expected to face a struggle but Huddersfield spent big again and slumped.
Ian Watson was sacked as head coach last month with assistant Robinson placed in caretaker charge. The ex-Wigan and England scrum-half, who played more than 200 games for Huddersfield, has been on their coaching staff since retiring in 2016. Castleford second-row Mellor played under him for three years between 2017 and 2019.
And the ex-Leeds ace said: “I hope Robbo gets his chance to lead that team, get the job full-time and show what he can do as a coach. I am surprised they struggled this year. There’s always such promise at Huddersfield and they always have such a good squad, so when they don’t perform I think there is a lot of pressure from above.
“They probably deserve to be higher than where they are but it gives Robbo a chance now. When I was there I had a lot of faith in him and I think the players there now do. They trust him, he’s obviously a player who’s done so much in the game and he can impart that into a squad. He knows what makes a player tick and what doesn’t. Having someone like that steering the ship can’t be too bad. I do think he should get it.”
Huddersfield have won just one of five games since the 40 year-old took over, beating Salford 16-8. But they have become far more competitive, pushed Leigh close, led champions Wigan at half-time and were only beaten by Catalans in golden-point extra-time on Friday. However, Castleford, who only had three wins all season until downing St Helens, London and Catalans in successive weeks last month, have their own reason to be encouraged.
In tenth, they will usurp Huddersfield from ninth spot if they can secure a seventh success when they face each other at Elland Road. And Mellor, 29, admitted: “It’s not where we want to be: we don’t want to be fighting for ninth spot and nor do Huddersfield.
“But in the context of our season, to be able to jump above them and get into that ninth place, give ourselves some hope for next year and a little springboard into pre-season, this now becomes a huge game. We’re looking forward to it.”
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