Castleford Tigers are chasing Parramatta Eels half-back Daejarn Asi, coach Craig Lingard has confirmed.
Asi, who has played 14 NRL games in 2024, is among 11 players leaving Parramatta at the end of the season. That list also includes Tigers’ only confirmed recruit for next year, outside-back Zac Cini.
Speaking at his weekly preview press conference ahead of tomorrow’s game at St Helens, Lingard insisted Tigers will have a better squad in 2025.
Castleford are set to finish 10th in Betfred Super League and the coach stressed: “With the targets we’ve identified and are hoping to get across the line, if we can get them into the country and our group for the start of pre-season, I’ve no doubt we’ll be stronger than this year.
“There are some real positive signs with the targets we’re looking at bringing in and have spoken to. Daejarn Asi is one we have identified and spoken to.”
The coach added: “There are several half-back targets we’ve spoken about. We’ve spoken to their agents and got figures for everyone.
“With recruitment, you might have option A, option B and option C. You don’t hang your hat on one individual because in rugby league and professional sport anything can happen.
“Twenty four hours after you’ve agreed something, they might go somewhere else. We don’t count anything until we get that paperwork back, signed, but we have spoken to a number of individuals in that position and he is certainly one we’ve identified who would be great to bring in if we could.”
Lingard is hopeful of having some recruits signed up within the next few weeks and stressed the delay: “I know there’s been speculation about why we haven’t signed [more players] and whether it’s because we don’t know what division we’re going to be in.
“But us not signing players as quickly as maybe some people want has got absolutely nothing to do with that. We’re as close to 100 per cent certain as we can be we’re going to be in Super League next year.”
Joe Westerman has been named in Tigers’ initial squad for Friday’s game, but has a leg injury and won’t play. Tex Hoy (hamstring), Corey Hall (pectoral muscle) and Cain Robb (head) are also ruled out and teenage forward Akim Matvejev is set for his debut.
“It’s going to be another difficult challenge, going to Saints with only 20 fit players and four 18 year olds,” Lingard admitted. “We’re looking at being competitive and challenging in these last two games and if we can get a victory or two, then brilliant.
“That would be a positive end to what I think has largely been a positive season, with some bumps in the road. The development and progression we’ve shown this year from where we started last November, it’s unrecognisable.”
St Helens: from Welsby, Makinson, Blake, Percival, Bennison, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Mata’utia, Batchelor, Knowles, Bell, Paasi, Whitley, Delaney, Davies, Burns, Ritson, Stephens.
Castleford Tigers: from Hooley, I Senior, Miller, Watts, McShane, Lawler, El Zakhem, Mellor, Westerman, Horne, Milnes, Putt, Mustapha, Qareqare, Martin, Hill, Rooney, Hindmarsh, Windley, Matvejev, Horwell.
Referee: Jack Smith (Wigan). Kick-off: Friday, 8pm.
