Castleford Tigers up and running with seven-try show against Whitehaven

A strong side containing mostly first team players contending for a place in the starting line-up for the opening Super League match next month were given a good work-out, but were always in control to win their first pre-season match of 2023.

Whitehaven were lively and threatened first with a kick in behind by Alex Bishop that was well defended by Bureta Faraimo.

The Tigers’ first sniff came when Alex Mellor was held up over the line. Jack Broadbent – playing at half-back with Gareth Widdop and Jacob Miller still being held back by coach Lee Radford – then forced a drop-out with a good kick and this led to the first try.

A kick from the other half-back, Jacob Hookem, was spilled by the hosts on the line and Faraimo pounced to open the scoring, with Hookem converting.

Whitehaven looked to hit back, but Connor Holliday lost the ball on the line to give the visitors a let-off.

They soon made Haven pay as Jake Mamo’s superb offload sent Broadbent charging away for an excellent try. Hookem’s goal made it 12-0.

The lead was extended on 33 minutes as another Hookem kick led to a try with Mellor the beneficiary. Hookem’s third goal, landed from the touchline, made it 18-0 at the break.

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Cas forced a drop-out at the start of the second half and Nathan Massey went close, but both sides made mistakes in a frustrating spell before Broadbent suddenly lit up the game again, finishing off one of the best moves of the game for his second try. Hookem’s conversion went in off the post as his fine day with the boot continued.

Within two minutes the Tigers were over again with Mamo following up Mellor’s kick to score.

Cas were really clicking now and soon adding another score after a great move that saw Daniel Smith, Cain Robb and George Griffin involved with the latter’s looping pass sending Faraimo over.

One more try followed six minutes from time as Smith’s offload sent George Lawler on a charge to the line.

Hookem’s fifth goal completed the Tigers scoring, but Whitehaven kept going and were rewarded with a try from the last play of the game as John Hutchings followed up his own kick to score.

Both sides will have gained plenty from the hit-out with a number of Castleford players shaking off their rustiness in their first game since September.

Whitehaven: Rourke; Teare, Singleton, Freeman, Eccleston; Doran, Bishop; Castle, O’Brien, Walker, Holliday, Lanskey, McAvoy. Subs: Aiye, Tabu, Bradley, Spencer-Tonks, Ainley, Hutchings.

Castleford: Mamo; Faraimo, Fonua, Turner, Wallis; Hookem, Broadbent; Vete, Milner, Watts, Lawler, Mellor, Massey. Subs: Sutcliffe, Agar, Griffin, Robb, Mustapha, Qareqare, Smith, Edwards.