Castleford Tigers boss Craig Lingard ready ro run the rule over players in final warm-up game

Craig Lingard’s men take on Huddersfield Giants at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle on Sunday (3pm) in their third pre-season friendly and will be looking for significant improvement on the performance their 14-14 draw with London Broncos in their last outing.

It will be the last chance for Lingard to run the rule over players aiming to make the 17-man squad for the first Super League game against Wigan Warriors on Saturday, February 17.

And he will want every fully fit player to get a piece of the action against the Giants to sharpen them up for the important stuff just round the corner.

With places in a number of positions up for grabs following the big turn round of players in the winter Lingard is keeping his options open as to who makes the grade for the Wigan match. But he believes the players are ready for the challenge.

He said: “We’re looking forward to it, we feel that we’re ready feel like we’re getting there.

"It’s been a long pre-season and we’re getting to the point now where you can that light at the end of the tunnel.

"The hard yards they’ve put in, the long days we’ve had. it’s all down to playing that first game, getting in the starting 17 and if you are not in it it’s trying to build a way into that 17 and force somebody out.”

The Tigers, meanwhile, have been given a significant off the field boost with news that following detailed discussions resulting in technical amendments to the Wheldon Road stadium upgrade proposals, the Environment Agency has lifted their holding objection.

This means that there are no outstanding objections from statutory consultees for either of the Axiom and Wheldon Road planning applications, including on highways, flood risk and drainage.

The club is now hopeful that both planning applications will be heard by Wakefield Council’s planning committee shortly and that work can start on the ground improvements soon after that.