Castleford Tigers 2026 season preview
2025 recap
2025 was a disaster for the Tigers. They started the year with defeat in the Challenge Cup to then-Championship Bradford, coach Danny McGuire was sacked midway through the season, and they picked up just six wins in 27 games.
They’ll have been grateful to have Salford in Super League last season, as they were the only side to finish below Cas in the table.
2025 position: 11th
Key signings
Brock Greacen (Newcastle Knights), Blake Taaffe (Canterbury Bulldogs), Mikaele Ravalawa (St George Illawarra Dragons), Semi Valemei (North Queensland Cowboys), Jordan Lane (Hull FC), Jack Ashworth (Hull FC), Renouf Atoni (Wakefield), Liam Hood (Wakefield), Darnell McIntosh (Leigh), Tom Weaver (Gold Coast Titans), Aiden Doolan (Barrow Raiders), Jimmy Beckett (Featherstone Rovers), Krystian Mapapalagi (Wests Tigers)
Key departures
George Griffin (Sheffield Eagles), Josh Simm (Catalans), Jeremiah Simbiken (London Broncos), Sam Wood (York), Innes Senior (Leigh), Muizz Mustapha (Doncaster), Josh Hodson (Sheffield Eagles), Will Tate (Wakefield), Liam Horne (Leigh), Tex Hoy (TBC), Andy Djeukessi (Newcastle Thunder), Aiden Doolan (Barrow Raiders – season-long loan)
Players to watch
Blake Taaffe has the potential to be a star in Super League. The Aussie fullback has spent the past five years as an able deputy in the NRL with the Rabbitohs and the Bulldogs, but never quite made the number one jersey his own. That won’t be the case at Cas though, especially with Tex Hoy now gone, so I’m expecting Taafe to stand out for the Tigers this year.
Another of Castleford’s new boys from Down Under is powerful Fijian winger, Mikaele Ravalawa. I was pleasantly surprised to see him heading to Super League, given that he’s still only 28 and has a strike rate of 67 tries in 101 NRL games. He spent most of 2025 on the sidelines, which might have something to do with it, but if he’s fit and firing, he’ll be a huge weapon for Cas.
Young gun
Fullback Fletcher Rooney will have to bide his time if he’s to oust Blake Taaffe from the starting side, but if he gets an opportunity I’m expecting him to impress. The 20-year-old has already made 12 appearances in the first team, and any injuries or loss of form to Taaffe could see him come in.
Our prediction – 10th
With a new head coach in Ryan Carr, plus a host of new signings, I’m expecting an improvement from Cas this year. I can’t see it being enough to trouble the top six though, as there are plenty of far stronger teams for them to overcome.
