Young forward Brad Martin signs new deal to stay with Castleford Tigers

The 21-year-old had played 20 times for the Tigers, scoring one try, since joining the club from the Leeds Rhinos youth ranks for the 2020 season.

Martin made his Super League debut as part of a winning Castleford team against Hull KR in his first year with Cas.

In 2021 he continued his development, making nine appearances and scoring his first try in Tigers colours against Salford. So far in 2022, he has featured 10 times.

Sponsored by Melanie Allatt Photography, Martin insists that there is much more to come from him as he goes into his fourth season at The Mend-A-Hose Jungle in 2023.

“I’m really pleased that I have signed for another two years. This currently is my third season at the club and I’m really settled and really enjoying it,” Martin told castlefordtigers.com.

“The main thing for next season is to get the game time and show the coach what I can do. I’ve done well with game time, but obviously next year I want to push on a little bit more.”

The former Dewsbury Moor player is relishing being around the squad and playing under head coach Lee Radford and says that the boss has brought a new lease of life to the Tigers squad.

“I’ve learnt a lot. Radders has been really good for us and all the players. He’s brought a new spark onto the team this year, you can see that with a couple of the results.

"It took a while for us all to get to know each other and click but we’ve done that now and we’re looking to kick on.”

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Martin now joins fellow young players Jason Qareqare, Sam Hall, and Cain Robb in committing his future for a further two years to the Tigers.

Radford reckons Martin will only get better.

He said: “I like what Brad brings in terms of his energy and leg speed, he is another kid we have at Cas that trains with good intensity and he has benefitted from having the likes of Joe Westerman, and others, in and around him giving him the pointers that a young middle can thrive on.

“When Brad has played, I’ve been very impressed with him and we want to see him continuously progress well.”