'I hate the position we're in': Castleford Tigers told to play for 'badge & town' v Leigh Leopards
The “town and badge” give Castleford Tigers something to play for over their final four games of the season.
Tigers are second from bottom in Betfred Super League going into tomorrow’s (Thursday) match at Leigh Leopards and their top-six hopes are long over. But they could climb a couple of places before the end of the campaign and - with players needing to impress incoming boss Ryan Carr - director of rugby Chris Chester insists his side have reasons to play well.
“We want to finish above whoever we can,” Chester, who is also interim-coach, stated. “You are playing for your town and for your badge. I think that is pretty simple. It has got to mean something and it means a lot to me. I hate the position we are in at the moment; like every Castleford fan, I am fed up of going home on the back of a disappointing loss.”
Chester, who joined Tigers this year from Leigh, added: “I think players are playing for their future - contracted or not - and that’s the big one for me. If you’re off contract you want to try and get one somewhere else. If you are contracted, Ryan Carr is watching every single game for the next four weeks.
“He has watched the previous three or four and has got an idea of which players he wants to be at the club for 2026. It’s for the badge and the town and the fans and for ourselves, having your personal pride. You want to go out and finish as high as you possibly can.
“We have got four games and it’s four dress rehearsals for 2026 because I know things will be different next year, on and off the field. We’ve got to make sure, in those four dress rehearsals, we give an exceptional account of ourselves.”
Tigers are without full-back/half-back Jenson Windley who is facing a couple of weeks on the sidelines after being knocked out in last Saturday’s defeat at Catalans Dragons. Full-back Tex Hoy has recovered from a calf muscle injury and is set to feature for the first time since May. Prop Joe Stimson is back in the 21-man squad after concussion.
Chester said: “It’ll probably be a couple of weeks for Jenson. That’s the second [concussion] he has had in a short space of time, he got one while he was on loan at Sheffield. He was out cold last week so unfortunately he misses a couple of weeks, but it will probably do him a world of good as well.
“He has only just turned 18, he’s still growing and developing physically and probably needed a couple of weeks off. He’ll come back into our thoughts after the Wakefield game, so for Wigan or St Helens.
Of Hoy, he confirmed: “He has had an issue with his calf that’s been bothering him for a long time, but he is playing this week.”
Leigh Leopards: from McIntosh, Niu, Hanley, Charnley, O’Brien, Lam, Ipape, Mulhern, Halton, Hughes, Liu, Pene, Tuitavake, Davis, Dwyer, Brand, O’Neill, Badrock, McNamara, Hodgson, Towse.
Castleford Tigers: from Hoy, Asi, Horne, Lawler, Simbiken, Mellor, Westerman, Griffin, Robb, Hall, Mustapha, L Senior, Tate, Hill, Singleton, Salabio, Amone, Atkin, Stimson, Wallis, Lindsey.
Referee: Liam Moore (Wigan). Kick-off: Thursday, 8pm.