2022 Season Review: Castleford Tigers

12 Dec 2022

The closing stages of Castleford Tigers' final game of the season provided a microcosm of their rollercoaster campaign.

With the odds stacked against them due to the absence of missing playmakers Danny Richardson, Jake Trueman and Gareth O'Brien among others, Lee Radford's men led 8-0 at Leeds inside the final quarter, showing a huge amount of guts.

But late Rhinos tries to Kruise Leeming and Aidan Sezer snatched a Play-Offs spot from their grasp in a cruel finale, leaving the Tigers to reflect on what might have been.

ALL HAIL SEZER ?

The moment that secured @leedsrhinos a 2022 play-off spot ?#SuperLeague #SLLeeCas pic.twitter.com/xSQ9TB1i4Z
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) September 3, 2022

Still, there was much for the club to be positive about in 2023 overall.

A top six spot looked a world away when new coach Radford and his side lost five of their opening six matches, leaving them languishing in 11th.

But the last of those, a gutsy 32-22 defeat at Wigan that included a contentious yellow card for Mahe Fonua, gave Radford enough hope that things would improve.

"Our fortunes are going to turn and I thought some of the footy we played throughout the game looked threatening," the former Hull FC boss said after the match.

"I thought we could have caused them problems all night and we had plenty of opportunities. What has been our issue is how many we are conceding, and the 12 points we conceded when we go down to 12 players is tough.

"We're not catching a break at the moment, but I'm not whinging. We're working hard and we'll get through it, and I'm really proud of what we've done tonight."

Radford's words proved prophetic.

Five wins from their next six games lifted Castleford into the Play-Offs positions, and they stayed there until those dramatic closing moments of the campaign.

You should know by now ? Jake Mamo loves an intercept ?

Two tries for the @CTRLFC centre in the win over the Robins ?#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/ILo5nRMiFf
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) May 16, 2022

During that first winning spell they also dumped Leeds out of the Betfred Challenge Cup with an accomplished 40-16 away win, only to then suffer a similar fate themselves at Hull Kingston Rovers two weeks later.

They gained revenge over the Robins with a 32-0 triumph in the league the following month, before another brief dip preceded a second run of five wins from six, including a thrilling golden point win over Catalans Dragons and an impressive home victory against Huddersfield.

That was despite an injury list that often robbed them of their most influential players, the most devastating that would come in July with Trueman's season-ending ACL.

Trueman goes the distance for @CTRLFC ????? pic.twitter.com/7VQcJ5ivh0
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) July 1, 2022

Full-back Niall Evalds was restricted to just eight appearances over the course of the year, Richardson 12 and Jordan Turner seven, meaning that Radford had to juggle his pivotal positions on an almost weekly basis.

But amid adversity, players stood up to be counted, none more so than the outstanding Joe Westerman, who played some of the best rugby of his career and was a model of consistency in the middle of the field.

Kenny Edwards was among the competition's leading back rowers during the mid part of the season before he also succumbed to injury, while Derrell Olpherts finished as top try scorer on the wing.

There was also hope in youth as well, with teenagers Jason Qareqare and Cain Robb showing more flashes of their potential when opportunities arose.

? So good they named him twice!

Take a bow Jason QareQare ?#SuperLeague #SLCasSth pic.twitter.com/7e1de5xs03
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) April 22, 2022

But ultimately it wasn't enough to extend their campaign beyond the end of the regular season, with five defeats from their final seven matches costing them a Play-Offs spot.

"Although we didn't achieve our season goal, with all that's been thrown at us and the challenges we've overcome, I'm incredibly proud of them," Radford said after the Headingley defeat.

"Nobody likes losing but, when you've given everything and there's nothing left, you can sometimes accept that."

Reflecting on the season as a whole, Radford referred back to that early season Wigan game.

He added: "I underestimated the transition for the first six or seven weeks. I didn't realise that it would take so long to change habits - and I?m not saying those habits are wrong - in certain individuals.

There's been buying in, a game that springs to mind is the Wigan game. We got beat but the group bought into how we wanted to play from there we built and built and built.

"So when that mid-season period game when we had more players available, thought we looked really tidy. But like today's fixture we just ran out of gas."

With Trueman leaving for Hull FC and Gareth Widdop joining from Warrington there will be a new dimension to the Tigers' attack in 2023, when Radford will be hoping to go at least one better on the league ladder.

Key man

Joe Westerman was a pillar of strength for Radford in the middle of the field throughout the season, cleaning up at the club's end of year awards night. He finished second overall in the competition for tackles, fourth for offloads and was also 11th for carries and eighth in marker tackles.

? The final, and arguably biggest award of the night is chosen by Cas Legends.

? The Immortals? Player of the Season, sponsored by @Ergorealestate goes to…

? That man, The King of Cas, Joe Westerman!

? Westy is sponsored by @GroundworkHh #NewCasEra | #COYF pic.twitter.com/i1DsetpIAE
— Castleford Tigers (@CTRLFC) August 26, 2022

But his influence on the side went beyond straight forward statistics, he was a leader for the Tigers and is certain to play a pivotal role again in 2023.

Rising star

Jason Qareqare. The performances of Derrell Olpherts, Bureta Faraimo and Greg Eden limited the teenage flier to just eight appearances in 2022, but a return of seven tries and some more moments of absolute magic underlined the potential he showed when he burst onto the scene last year.

His pace, balance and ability to beat defenders mark him out as a rare talent at such a young age, and he will hope to have more opportunities next season.

Season highlight

When Derrell Olpherts' four tries helped the Tigers to a crushing 46-18 win at Hull FC, they looked to be heading into the Play-Offs on the crest of a wave. With half-backs Danny Richardson and Gareth O'Brien pulling the strings, Lee Radford's side scored 32 unanswered second half points to cement their place in fifth with seven games remaining.