With the recruitment window now well and truly in full swing, Super League clubs are beginning to piece together their squad plans for 2025.
Love Rugby League will be taking a look at a number of clubs over the coming weeks to break down what business they’ve done so far, how their squad looks for next year and what targets they may still be in the market for. This time, it’s the turn of Castleford Tigers to fall under the spotlight..
Players under contract for 2025
Of Castleford’s declared first-team squad for this season, the following players remain under contract for next season:
Innes Senior, Louis Senior, Cain Robb, Alex Mellor, Sam Hall, Jason Qareqare, George Hill, Luke Hooley, Josh Simm, Sam Wood, Jacob Miller, Paul McShane, George Lawler, Elie El-Zakhem, Joe Westerman, George Griffin, Rowan Milnes, Nixon Putt, Josh Hodson, Muizz Mustapha, Sylvester Namo, Will Tate, Fletcher Rooney.
Who’s leaving?
It’s already been confirmed that Jack Broadbent will not return to Castleford after his loan spell at Hull KR – he will instead sign a permanent deal at the Robins. Corey Hall’s loan deal at the Tigers won’t continue beyond this season: he’s going to sign for Wakefield Trinity in 2025.
Castleford have already confirmed that half-back Danny Richardson will not be given a new contract for 2025, too. They had an option in their favour but have decided not to take it up. He will spend the rest of the season on loan at Hull KR, along with Broadbent.
Who’s still off-contract?
As of the time of writing, Castleford have eight players off-contract as things stand whose futures have yet to be confirmed.
Liam Watts, Liam Horne, Samy Kibula and Charbel Tasipale have one-year extensions in their contracts. Luis Johnson, Brad Martin, Tex Hoy and Dan Hindmarsh-Takyi’s deals run out at the end of this season.
Could anyone else leave?
Brad Martin is heavily rumoured with an exit at the end of the season, with Leigh Leopards among the clubs interested in him. There is very real interest in Tex Hoy from elsewhere too, but Castleford are understood to have put a deal to the former Hull FC man to see if they can retain him.
What’s the quota situation?
As things stand, Castleford have only four confirmed players under contract who are on the quota for next year, giving them significant room to manoeuvre. You would imagine that Liam Horne and the aforementioned Hoy are players the Tigers would be keen to keep though, potentially leaving just one spot free.
Where do they need to strengthen?
If they aren’t able to keep Hoy, fullback will be clearly a priority for the Tigers. Luke Hooley has come in at the start of this season but has found opportunities difficult since Hoy’s arrival. Even Broadbent was used at fullback ahead of him at stages this season, perhaps indicating Lingard’s thinking about how a new number one is a priority.
The arrival of Hall on loan, and Castleford’s attempts to sign him permanently, suggests they are now also on the hunt for a centre for 2025, given how that was Hall’s preferred position. The future of off-contract forwards including Watts and Hindmarsh-Takyi may yet influence Castleford’s desire to sign a new prop, too.
Again, Hoy’s future may well influence this too – but with only Miller and Milnes on the books as out-and-out half-backs, you’d assume the Tigers will be looking for a new pivot: perhaps irrespective of any deal for Hoy.
But with 23 senior players under contract already – a number which will bump up if Craig Lingard’s side do manage to keep the likes of Horne and Hoy – there may have to be movement in the opposite direction in terms of contracted players for the Tigers to do any serious business.
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