Monaghan believes Tigers are title contenders

Joel Monaghan believes his Castleford side are very much capable of challenging for honours at the end of the season. 

The ex-Australian international is a new signing at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle, having spent five seasons at Warrington Wolves, in which he scored 145 tries in as many appearances at the club. 

The 33 year-old says he is joining a club that is completely different to the one he encountered when he first arrived in England, and admits that is testament to the work done by the Yorkshire club over recent years.

“There’s a big difference from when I came to England five years ago to now,” Monaghan told the Yorkshire Evening Post. 

“Not just the team; the club and the organisation and the resources they put into it. They were in the Challenge Cup final two years ago and on the doorstep of the top-four last year. It is definitely a club on the up and hopefully I can add to that.”

Monaghan is one of only a small number of new faces at the Tigers, and the winger believes that will stand Daryl Powell’s men in good stead in terms the side getting to know each other and how they play.

“There was a big turnover from a couple of years ago to last year and they were still up there, on the edge of the top-four,” he said.

“To have a settled squad now is good. You can see the combinations in training, with the blokes who have been here a while. It is a skilful team, with only a few new blokes who will have to try and settle in and add something to that.”

The ex-Canberra and Sydney Roosters man is adamant the club have to get off to a good start otherwise Castleford will have to wave goodbye to their play off hopes.

“You want to be starting off on the front foot, rather than chasing your tail,” he said.

“We’ve been doing everything we can at training to make sure that doesn’t happen. The top-four has got to be our minimum goal and if we go out and do our job it is something we can definitely achieve.”