I'm really excited to be part of the journey at Castleford Tigers says assistant coach Luke Robinson
Assistant coach Luke Robinson remains excited to be part of the restructuring going on at Castleford Tigers despite the difficult end to the season following the departure of Ryan Carr.
While the 2026 season will not be fondly remembered with a second from bottom finish and big recruitment mistakes Robinson believes there is still a bright future for the Tigers.
"There’s a lot of people at the club who work extremely hard, they’re in at five in the morning and leave at six or seven at night,” said Robinson.
"We just need to be more efficient in the way we go about it from a structure point of view and that’s in every department.
“I think there's so much to be given at Cas and I’m really excited to be part of the journey, if I’m honest.
"The recruitment they’ve made next year – they’re winners. Let’s be honest you don’t play for Australia, Cooky (Damien Cook) and that without being a winner.
"I know people speak about his age, but he's still playing unbelievable rugby and he is a winner.
"What we need to do is fix up loads of little areas so that when he does come in we are already up to speed, up to his standards.”
On what he thinks needs to be done player-wise Robinson believes the strong recruitment already confirmed will stand the club in good stead.
The Tigers have signed Cook, Tyrell Sloan and Mat Feagai from the NRL, plus British players Robbie Mulhern, Ben McNamara and Alfie Johnson as well as Jack Brown, who’s deal was brought forward so he could play for the club this year.
There are still a few obvious gaps, but during the 2026 season the club also added Tyler Dupree, Phoenix Laula-Togaga’e and George Hirst to the squad on deals that will see them stay next year and hooker Liam Hood is expected to extend his stay after arriving on a one-year deal 12 months ago.
Against that skipper Alex Mellor, Joe Stimson, Daejarn Asi, Sam Hall, Zac Cini, Jack Ashworth, Joe Westerman and Cain Robb are leaving or have left in 2026 and there are doubts about whether Tom Weaver, Mikaele Ravalawa and Louis Senior will still be at Cas next year.
Two of the most expensive recruits for this year, Blake Taaffe and Semi Valemei, have spent much of it injured and if they can return to full fitness for the start of the 2027 campaign it will be a huge boost to the team.