Elliot Wallis eager to take his second chance at Super League with Castleford Tigers

After impressing in the Tigers reserves side in 2022 the 22-year-old is now part of Castleford’s first Team for the 2023 season with the club holding an option for 2024.

Wallis scored two tries in four Super League appearances for home city club Hull KR in 2018 and also had loan spells with York City Knights and Bradford Bulls before taking a break from rugby league in 2021.

But he returned to the sport this year with Castleford’s reserves and impressed sufficiently to win his new contract.

Tigers coach Lee Radford said: “We gave Elliot a trial last season and his effort and attitude has been fantastic.

“Physically he ticks all the boxes you would want from an outside-back, so we will be working with him to develop his knowledge and his skill set. That is going to be our focus moving forward with him.

“For me, he was head and shoulders one of our best reserve team players in 2022.

“Elliot’s performances caught my eye, which earned him this deal and it is a great advertisement that here at Cas you can develop.

“For a kid to have time out of the game and come back, get an opportunity and take it with both hands is a great promotion for the reserve game.”

Wallis’ league journey began with community clubs Skirlaugh Bulls and Bilton Sullys where he played his youth rugby before joining the then City of Hull Academy. At the age of just 17, he made his senior debut for Hull KR in the Challenge Cup in May 2018 and then made his maiden Super League appearance later that month too.

He is delighted to now be given his chance with Cas.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time at Cas so far,” Wallis told castlefordtigers.com.“Having had that time away from rugby, I thought I wasn’t going to play again but it has been quite refreshing to come back and realise I can play at this level.

“If there wasn’t a reserves system I might not be playing, or I’d be in a lower league perhaps a bit unnoticed, which at the moment I wouldn’t want. So, to step into the reserves for a Super League club as good as Cas has given me the opportunity to show what I can do a bit more.“I’m really looking forward to working with Rads, he’s a Hull lad like me and I really get on with him.”

On the way his rugby league career has shaped up, Wallis added: “To be honest, maybe it came to me a bit too fast. I moved on after getting sent on loan and it didn’t go too well for me.

“I decided to take a bit of a break from it, but I played a bit with Coventry, linked up with Cas this year and played some games for Midlands.

“There is competition for the wing spots, but I’m willing to come and fight for it. I’m looking forward to learning more from Greg (Eden) and B (Bureta Faraimo). Both have plenty of experience.”