Castleford Tigers coaching search in final stages as Chris Chester targets announcement date

The Tigers, who parted company with Danny McGuire earlier this month, are in the process of conducting interviews after drawing up a shortlist of five candidates.

Chester expects the club to make an announcement following next Friday's board meeting.

"I've spoken to certain individuals over the last seven days and have got a couple more calls to make and a couple of interviews at the backend of this week and early next week," said Castleford's director of rugby, who is also performing the role of interim head coach.

"We've narrowed the search down to five and will interview those five over the next few days.

"We have a board meeting next Friday and I'd like to think by next Friday we'll have announced a head coach. That's certainly the plan."

Four NRL-based coaches are understood to be in the running for the job, as well as one from the UK.

Chester has confirmed the new head coach is likely to take charge from the start of pre-season, meaning he will remain in interim control for the remainder of this year.

"We'd like to make an announcement but a lot of these guys are already contracted to clubs – four out of the five are contracted overseas," he added.

"I think they would like to do the right thing and finish the season off at their respective clubs. It will be an appointment for the first day of pre-season.

"I've just got to manage these next seven or eight weeks. Whoever that coach is going to be, I'll be in dialogue with them, asking for advice and plans and working on certain game plans for the rest of this year as well."

McGuire was sacked by the Tigers on July 7 after winning just four of his 18 games in charge to continue the club's recent struggles.

Chester is optimistic about the future of the club – provided they find the right man to lead Castleford on the field.

"I'm really excited about the project," he said.

"I know this appointment is going to be the biggest appointment I'll make at this club and know I've got to get it one million per cent right.

"I did that at Leigh. I made sure I took my time with the appointment of Adrian Lam and that proved to be the best signing I made as the director of rugby at Leigh.

"I know how important this signing is going to be for Castleford Tigers moving forward."

Part of Chester's remit as interim head coach is to leave the team in a better place for the new man.

To that end, he has included teenage pair Jenson Windley and Andy Djeukessi in his squad for Friday's trip to St Helens.

Half-back Windley featured five times for the Tigers last year, while outside back Djeukessi could make his Super League debut at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

"There will be a couple of changes," said Chester.

"We've lost Innes Senior for the rest of the year after undergoing ankle surgery and Jerry Simbiken got a suspension.

"I've brought young Jenson Windley in and Andy Djeukessi. At least one of those guys will play this week.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing that. Both of those guys have had a good couple of weeks of training in the full-time environment. They're two really talented kids.

"I intend to give some more opportunities to some young kids over the next couple of weeks to see if they are ready for '26."

Fresh from a week off, Castleford head to St Helens aiming to record back-to-back wins for the first time this year.

"It's going to be very, very difficult – but we go there with a real fighting chance," added Chester.

"We're going to have to do it tough but there's no reason why those effort levels should drop from the Warrington game. The bar needs to be raised even further.

"I'm very, very confident that we can go over there and give a very, very good account of ourselves. I've given them free rein to go out and try things. I'm looking forward to seeing the best version of Castleford Tigers."