Craig Lingard provides Castleford Tigers recruitment update with quota spot now available

Castleford Tigers head coach Craig Lingard says they are hopeful ‘somebody’ will be joining the club next week, with a quota spot now free and work being done behind the scenes to get a deal over the line.

The Tigers yesterday confirmed the release of Albert Vete with immediate effect, departing the club having made just 10 appearances with his contract – which was due to expire at the end of this year – cut short.

Vete’s exit frees up a quota spot at the Jungle, meaning that Cas are able to bring in another overseas star, and in their press release confirming Vete’s departure, club chief Danny Wilson confirmed they were ‘actively looking’ to do so.

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Craig Lingard provides Castleford Tigers recruitment update with quota spot now available

Boss Lingard saw his Tigers side lose out 36-14 at Wigan Warriors last night, but the question on everybody’s lips post-match was recruitment.

After Wilson’s tease, Lingard delivered an update on the club’s plans, saying: “We’re constantly looking and we’re constantly having conversions.

“We’re hoping somebody is going to come in next week, but everything is fluid at the minute. We’re having conversations with clubs and players.

“There’s sort of provisional agreements in place with certain individuals, but if players get injured or if players get suspended at their current clubs, then that picture changes and it’s moving every single hour of the day.

“Even in training, someone might go down in training or get a soft tissue injury, then that person who is maybe two or three down in the pecking order comes up, and then everything completely changes.

“We’re going to be working again over the weekend, like we have during this week, to try and get people in. Hopefully we can get some in next week but, as I say, that’s a moveable situation.”

Tex Hoy is the latest player to have been reported as someone of interest to Cas, with the Australian ace having departed Hull FC earlier this month.

But – as you might expect – when asked about those reports, Lingard remained coy, simply responding: “I’ve seen that as well. Can you tell me anything? You know as much as I do.”

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