Millward gives youth a chance

Castleford coach Ian Millward has promoted seven of the club’s youngsters to full-time training.

The Tigers have been keen to promote from within in recent years, and several products of their academy feature in their first team and elsewhere in Super League.

Michael Shenton, who has returned to the club after a spell at St Helens, and Joe Westerman, now at Hull, both came through the ranks at Wheldon Road to establish themselves as Super League stars.

Hoping to follow in their footsteps are full back or stand-off Ben Reynolds, centre Jordan Gill, prop Nathan Hammond, hooker Casey Canterbury, back-rower Shaun Pick, stand-off or loose forward Jordan Howden and second-rower Charlie Martin.

Tigers’ Head of Youth Development Steve Gill said: “When you look at how many home-grown players that are under 21 and have developed into first team members, it shows just how much talent we have in Castleford. 

“Jonathan Walker, James Clare, Ben Johnston, Jordan Thompson, Adam Milner, Oliver Holmes, Daniel Fleming, Daryl Clark and Charlie Martin are to name but a few and are also testament to the youth development systems we have in place here at the club.”

The re-structuring of the junior set-up throughout Super League will see the current Under 20s system replaced by an Under 19s team.

This has resulted in a number of over-age players being released by their clubs, and is acting as the catalyst for a number of working partnerships being created between Super League and Championship clubs.