There will be a new-look Castleford Tigers in Super League in 2026 for plenty of reasons and one overseas forward has spoken about that in a recap of the club’s pre-season so far.
The Tigers have had a rebrand for 2026 with the club creating a new badge and also celebrating their 100th anniversary with a shirt that features the name of past and present club legends.
In terms of personnel, there’s a new head coach in Ryan Carr and a host of new recruits, both domestic and from the NRL, and it’s now been revealed by one of last season’s overseas signings that the club are trying to create a ‘new identity’.
Forward Joe Stimson, who joined the Tigers midway through their 2025 campaign, has spoken to club media about his first pre-season in England, airing out the standard line from Australians that it’s both tough and cold, but also giving insight into the new regime at Wheldon Road.
Castleford Tigers signings blending in well
Having arrived mid-campaign, Stimson explained that the full pre-season has benefited him a lot, admitting that he felt ‘under done’ at times in late 2025.
“I came in at the back-end of the season, and I felt like I was a bit under done,” he explained.
“It probably showed in some games, so having a full pre-season with the team and working on combinations has been really beneficial.”
With so many fresh faces and fresh ideas, Stimson noted how positive everyone at the club was, also speaking on how those new recruits had fitted in seamlessly.
He explained: “The group is confident in the work we have done so far. We are trying to find a new identity and I believe we are doing that – I’m sure it will come out in games. But we are all very excited for the season to start and show the Cas fans what we can do.
“The squad is one of the tightest groups I’ve been a part of. We have a lot of new faces and they’ve fit right in, which is really exciting. Having so many Aussies in the team gives it that home feel but everyone gets on really well.”
Some members of the first-team squad had a hit-out in Brad Singleton’s testimonial but this Saturday’s match against St Helens will be the first real chance for Tigers fans to see their new recruits and witness the club’s ‘new identity’.
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