Castleford v Salford: 15 players in total could make debuts
Castleford's Jake Mamo (left) and Salford's Brodie Croft (right) are set to make their debuts on Friday (photos: SWpix)
Castleford Tigers welcome Salford Red Devils to The Mend-A-Hose Jungle on Friday night in a game which could see 15 players make their debuts for their respective clubs.
New Castleford coach Lee Radford has made eight new signings ahead of the new Super League season which kicks off this weekend.
Seven of those new recruits have made Radford’s first squad of 2022. Jake Mamo, Bureta Faraimo, George Lawler, Kenny Edwards, Mahe Fonua and Alex Sutcliffe could make their first appearances for the Tigers.
Joe Westerman is set for his second Castleford debut 15 years after his first as a teenager.
Salford coach Paul Rowley could hand seven players their debuts on Friday – Ryan Brierley, Tim Lafai, Brodie Croft, Sitaleki Akauola, Shane Wright, King Vuniyayawa and Deon Cross.
Marc Sneyd, who made 49 appearances for Salford between 2010-14, is set to make his second debut for the Red Devils.
Castleford: Evalds, Olpherts, Turner, Mamo, Faraimo, Trueman, Richardson, Watts, McShane, Lawler, Edwards, Milner, Westerman, Griffin, Fonua, Sutcliffe, Smith, Eden, Blair, Matagi, O’Brien.
Salford: Brierley, Sio, Lafai, Burgess, Croft, Sneyd, Akauola, Ackers, Burke, Wright, Greenwood, Taylor, Addy, Vuniyayawa, Lannon, Atkin, Johnson, Sarginson, Costello, Luckley, Cross.
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Niall Evalds targeting silverware at Castleford
Castleford full-back Niall Evalds is targeting a trophy with the club in 2022, and hopes to improve his own personal record in finals.
The Tigers came close last year in Evalds’ first year at the club. They reached the Challenge Cup final, and were winning at half-time, but lost against St Helens.
Evalds himself has played in three finals overall. He played in the Super League Grand Final in 2019 and the Challenge Cup final in 2020 for Salford.
Evalds believes Castleford have the squad to challenge for honours this year.
He said: “I think that’s the same for every team, everyone wants to win a trophy. We’ve come close last year, with the Challenge Cup final.
“Winning a trophy is obviously that’s something everyone wants to achieve. With the squad we’ve got, the signings we’ve made, there’s some some talent in our team and strength in depth as well. There’s going to be good players missing out each week. So that should should stand us in good stead.
“But definitely you want to win a trophy at the end. That’s why everyone plays. It’s what you dream of when you’re a young kid and that’s three finals in a row I’ve lost! I want to turn that around and win one. We all do, we are all desperate to win one. That’s the aim.”
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