Castleford Tigers tie Papua New Guinea star down with length of new contract revealed

Castleford Tigers have confirmed a new deal for Liam Horne, with the Papua New Guinea international penning a contract which runs until the end of the 2026 season.

The hooker – who arrived at The Jungle midway through last season – helped Cas over the line in their quest for Super League survival and has been one of the standout players in Craig Lingard’s side so far this year, yet to miss a game.

Horne’s performances for the Tigers earned him international recognition last autumn, earning his second and third international caps for the Kumuls as they triumphed in the inaugural Pacific Bowl.

In an exclusive interview with Love Rugby League, Fords director Danny Wilson earlier this week told us the club were confident in retaining the 26-year-old, and on Thursday night, his retention was announced.

Castleford Tigers tie Papua New Guinea star Liam Horne down with length of new contract revealed

Horne scored in last week’s victory against Hull FC at The Jungle, taking his tallies to two tries in 19 appearances for the Tigers to date.

The club have activated the one-year extension option they held in the Port Moresby native’s contract, with the player also agreeing to another 12 months on top of that, hence the new deal running for two years as opposed to just the one.

Having seen Horne ink his new deal, Cas chief Wilson said: “We’re over the moon with Liam staying!

“He’s proved himself as a Super League player and he’s a fan favourite due to his personality, but on the field, what he delivers is exactly what we want our players to portray in terms of full commitment, hard work and being passionate.

“We always speak about this and reflecting the community of Castleford… I think Liam does this in abundance. We have activated his extension, and I think it was really important that we tied him down beyond that.

“To get him over the line and committed to Castleford given the standard of player he is, is massively pleasing. Liam brings hard work, commitment and accountability as well as honesty.

“I think Liam shows this all the time how he plays and he wears his heart on his sleeve and gives 100% and that’s what we expect our team to show the fans.”