Castleford Tigers are looking at the prospect of using their remaining overseas quota spot on a centre to round out their 2026 Super League squad.
Ryan Carr will lead a new-look Castleford squad after several years of failure. Their playing roster has undergone a major overhaul ahead of the Australian’s first season as a Super League head coach, with plenty of new arrivals.
They include a string of players from the NRL. Mikaele Ravalawa, Semi Valemei, Tom Weaver and Blake Taaffe have all joined from Australia to create an exciting backline: but Castleford are not done there, it seems.
Love Rugby League has learned that the Tigers are looking at another centre to create extra competition for places in the three-quarter line, with options being considered in the NRL.
Castleford have used nine of their ten quota spots for the 2026 season as it stands, and have one left after Tex Hoy departed the club ahead of the squad returning for pre-season training last month. He has returned to Australia.
The Tigers sprung a surprise last week when another new signing, Darnell McIntosh, was handed the number four shirt – hinting that he would start the new season as Carr’s first-choice centre alongside Zac Cini, who retained the three shirt.
But Castleford are scouring the Australian market for another three-quarter to add more strike power in their outside backs, which would suggest that Valemei and Ravalawa will be the out-and-out wing options under Carr in 2026.
Love Rugby League revealed last week that the Tigers were closing in on a deal to sign Featherstone Rovers forward Jimmy Beckett for next year after he impressed in the Championship in 2025.
That deal is heading for completion – and would leave Castleford with just one more position of interest left to recruit for in the shape of a possible new centre.
