It took a while for Castleford Tigers ‘ recruitment to get underway for 2025, but it’s now in full flow, meaning we can start to see a team shaping up.
Danny McGuire now has pre-season to decide on who their best players are, and who should line up on the opening day of the season.
Who might this be?
Castleford Tigers strongest 13 ahead of 2025
Full-back: Tex Hoy
Tex Hoy’s signing after being released mid-season by Hull FC may have looked to some like a sign of desperation from Craig Lingard and co.
However, he turned out to be an inspired signing and certainly made the position his own after some excellent displays of creativity and quality – rare for Castleford Tigers in 2024.
He’ll almost certainly take the number one shirt next season, perhaps pushing Luke Hooley into more of an option in the centres – as well as Zac Cini.
Wingers: Innes Senior and Louis Senior
Innes Senior’s incredible start to life in a Tigers shirt wasn’t replicated towards the end of the season but it seems that he’ll probably keep his starting position next year.
Meanwhile, Jason Qareqare was a starter in his twin brother’s injury absence, but defensive frailties may keep him out of the starting 13 under McGuire, making Louis Senior a likely option down the right.
Fletcher Rooney is another who could play there (as well as at full-back), while Zac Cini has often featured on the wing.
Centres: Sam Wood and Zac Cini
Sam Wood’s injury on England duty was devastating after being arguably the side’s player of the season up to that point, and it was Corey Hall and Alex Mellor who took these positions for most of the remainder of 2024.
However, Hall is gone and Mellor will no doubt be called on in the pack, meaning someone to play alongside Wood was needed.
Enter Zac Cini, a utility back who spent much of 2024 playing at full-back in the reserve grade in Australia but who has mostly spent his time between the wing and centres. He also brings a lot of height, meaning he could support Qareqare in that regard defensively.
Halves: Daejarn Asi and Rowan Milnes
Cini’s teammate at Parramatta Eels, Daejarn Asi, followed him to Wheldon Road and seems to be a top signing.
He played 14 games in NRL for Parramatta Eels in 2024, mostly in the halves, and was also a goal-kicking option, making him a real coup.
After releasing Jacob Miller, that leaves Rowan Milnes as the only real option alongside him – unless McGuire calls on young Jenson Windley after some spectacular performances to start his senior career.
This week, he named Windley as a player he’s particularly enjoying working with – so he may grow into a starting role across the year.
Front row: George Lawler, Judah Rimbu and Sylvester Namo
George Lawler bounced back from a bleed on the brain in excellent fashion, and Sylvester Namo is likely his prop partner for 2025.
Meanwhile, Judah Rimbu – who starred for PNG Kumuls during the international break, will surely be the starting number nine for Castleford Tigers after signing for the club.
Second row: Alex Mellor, Joe Westerman and Liam Horne
Alex Mellor, the club’s player of the season, is free to head back into his favoured second-row position after filling in the centres, and with Judah Rimbu at hooker, Liam Horne may move into the loose-forward role, where he was utilised at times in 2024.
That would therefore move Joe Westerman into the second-row, although it has been suggested that he could also play as a prop.
