Jack Broadbent enjoying life with Castleford Tigers following move from Leeds Rhinos

England Knights star Broadbent is aiming to establish himself as a senior player with the Tigers after making the decision to leave his former club and sign with their rivals on a two-year deal.

He is already enjoying life at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle and getting stuck into the way Cas do things.

“I am loving it here. Pre-season has been really good, I’ve really taken to the coaches and the players are a really tight-knit group,” said Broadbent.

"I feel like it has been a great change and something I definitely needed.

"I just feel like I needed a change of environment. I’d been there since I was 15 and I feel it’s the perfect time to change.

“You can get stuck in a bit of a rut, being seen as a younger player, but coming here I am probably valued a bit more as a senior player and it gives you a boost in confidence. I am really enjoying it.”

On the disappointment of last season when he only played five times for the Rhinos before he joined Featherstone Rovers for the second half of the campaign, Broadbent said: “I probably didn’t get the game time I wanted in the first half of the year, but I signed for Featherstone and in the second part of the year, under Brian McDermott, I learned a lot.

“I really got on with the lads at Fev and at the back end of the year things really looked up for me, it was a really positive thing to build on coming into pre-season with Cas.”

Castleford Tigers warm-up for new season in style against Huddersfield Giants in Nathan Massey Testimonial

Broadbent believes he has joined a club that can challenge at the top end of Super League.

He added: “People can say what they want about it being an ageing squad and that sort of thing, but with age comes experience.

“We have got a mix of youth and enthusiasm as well and I think we have got a formula to excel.

“Our off-field staff – our strength and conditioners and physios – are on top of the game and if they can keep us fit and on the field I feel like we can really build into it and have a strong year.”