'Durability & grit': Castleford Tigers boss Ryan Carr hails Brad Singleton ahead of testimonial v Leeds Rhinos
New boss Ryan Carr has urged Castleford Tigers’ youngsters to put on a show for veteran prop Brad Singleton in his testimonial game against Leeds Rhinos on Sunday.
Both clubs will field a young side at OneBore Stadium as Singleton, whose career began with Leeds, is rewarded for his services to rugby league. Carr had a season as an assistant-coach at Rhinos and said: “I’ve known Singo a fair while now.
“He has had a very long career for a front-rower, which is testament to his durability and his grit and how he has persevered in the game. He plays in the toughest position and to have 15 years in the game at the highest level is a massive achievement.
“He has accomplished so much and it’s all the hard work he is doing in the background that allows him to continue to play. It gets harder and harder each year on the body and I have been impressed with his commitment to his footy, for sure.”
Carr joined Tigers at the start of pre-season in November and, after games against Featherstone Rovers and Oldham were called off, Sunday will be his first chance to see his players in action. “We were going to play a younger team in the Oldham game and we’ve rolled that team over to make sure they get some footy,” Carr said.
“We’ve only got this one and St Helens next weekend and I want to get some footy into the whole squad. Singo will play and he understands it was tricky with this game getting put in a bit later.
“I think it’s a good match up for the team Leeds are putting out. Brad [Arthur, Leeds’ coach who Carr worked with at Parramatta Eels] and I have spoken about it and they want the same thing from it we do from a rugby league perspective. It’s Singo’s day and hopefully it’s a good day for him overall.”
With three weeks to go until the new season, Carr is excited about Tigers’ prospects. “I have really enjoyed the playing group,” he said. “There’s some players who were here before and a lot of new faces too.
“They have come together really well and become good mates, which is something I am big on. They have got really good camaraderie and deep care for each other at the minute. They are ready to play some footy.
“Everyone’s in the same boat at the moment, every club trains hard; it’s just about making sure we form that identity we want to be known for. That’s going to be the critical thing this year for us.”