Brett Delaney: Cas’ new assistant head coach ‘makes no apologies’ for ‘tough’ training sessions as Danny McGuire’s right-hand man aims for silverware

The former Leeds Rhinos team-mates have been reunited once again, with the pair also working together at Hull KR when McGuire took Delaney to Craven Park during a spell as interim head coach with Rovers in 2022.

Delaney played a key coaching role at Hull KR last season and brings with him a wealth of experience, having started his career playing in the NRL for Paramatta Eels and the Gold Coast Titans.

And, with a focus on tightening a Tigers defence which conceded 735 points in Super League last year, he has already relished putting the team through their paces during pre-season.

He said: “I am really enjoying it. It’s a new challenge for me and I am really looking forward to it.

“As a player I wasn’t the flashiest, I was more hardworking and did all the dirty sort of stuff and the clean up sort of work. As a coach it will be pretty similar. I am leading up the defensive aspect of the game.

“All I ask of the players is that they work hard. Effort is not negotiable for me. I would set effort and attitude up as a benchmark for a non-negotiable. That is probably number one for me.

“As long as I can see that from the lads I am happy as a coach and I think the fans will see that too this year.”

On his training sessions, he said:

“They have been tough. I have done a lot of the defensive drills out on the field and we’ve been working hard in the wrestle room. I am going to make no apologies. They have been tough.

“Some of the players have probably been put into a position they’ve never been in in the past but I’m not going to make an apology for that.

“I’ve come here to do a job and that’s to tighten up our D. That is what we are going to do. With that comes hard work, commitment, and the boys have shown that.

“They have been put in some tough situations but they’ve come through the other end. Coming through adversity and working hard together as a team - the quicker we can get that connection as a defensive unit the better we will be.”

He added: “I want to see that commitment and that desire to win. That starts from minute one to 80. I have seen glimpses of that in pre-season.

“The tough work we have done in the wrestle room will transfer from there onto the pitch. Beyond those dark places, is winning. And that is where we have got to take the players and that equals results.

“The fans will appreciate that when they see us on the field defending our goal line set after set after set and we’re keeping teams out.

“That is built in pre-season, that’s built in hard work, that’s built with connecting and taking them to that dark place.”

As a player, the versatile second rower won four Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups and the World Club Challenge with McGuire and the Rhinos.

And he is hungry for my silverware as a coach beside his best friend.

He said: “It would be awesome. That’s why I’m here. I want to win trophies. Every coach, every player wants to win trophies. I am here, ultimately, to win silverware.

“As a player it was awesome. I want to do that as a coach. I’ll be doing everything I can in my power to push the players and bring some trophies to Castleford.

“Me and Magsy are best mates, we have known each other for a long time. We go way back. I won some trophies with him as a player, I coached with him at KR and he’s a leader on and off the pitch. He’s a great coach.

“You’ve seen what he’s done as a player - he will transfer that as a coach. The dynamic of it is awesome. When the opportunity popped up for me to join him I pretty much snapped his hand off.

“I believe in his qualities.”