Lingard has confirmed at least three changes will be made when Castleford travel to Craven Park.
Corey Hall will miss out on a Craven Park return tomorrow after being ruled out by Castleford Tigers head coach Craig Lingard. Hall, who is currently on a season-long loan with the Tigers, has been stood down after suffering from some concussion symptoms following their defeat to Leigh Leopards.
Hall’s time at the club is over, with the 22-year-old signing a deal with Wakefield Trinity ahead of the 2025 season. The centre had joined the Robins from Wakefield in 2023 as part of a swap deal that saw Will Dagger go the other way.
He made 10 appearances for Rovers, scoring two tries, but will not be able to make a return this Friday as Lingard delivered a string of early team news.
“Corey Hall will miss out,” Lingard said. “He picked up some head injury symptoms after the game last week, so he’s sat down for the 12-day period now.
“It’s disappointing for him not to go back to KR and play, but obviously we’ve got to look after him and sit him down for the usual 12 days.
“He came into training the morning after (the game) for the rehab session, and reported that he’d got some symptoms. He reported that to the physio, then was referred to the doctor, and then we’ve had to sit him down on the back of that. It’s just delayed concussion symptoms.
“It happened when Josh Charnley got the try in the corner, as Corey was trying to stop that try. We’ve looked back on the GPS and the gumshield data, and he did take quite a significant whack.”
His absence opens the door for another former Robin though. Lingard confirmed that Luis Johnson, who was released by the club at the end of the season, would play in place of Hall.
“We’re still struggling centre wise, we’re really light there at the minute. He (Johnson) has played there before, but he’s not a natural centre, he’s a back-rower that’s pushing out an extra place. Anybody who’s played rugby league knows there’s a big difference in the decision-making process and the traffic that you get coming at you. It might not seem a massive jump just defending one position further down, but it is a lot different.”
Lingard also confirmed that Jason Qareqare would replace Fletcher Rooney on the wing, with Papua New Guinea international Nixon Putt set to make just his seventh appearance for the club.
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