Radford ready for pre-season
With the Tigers’ 2022 pre-season set to start on Monday, 8th November, Head Coach Lee Radford is looking forward to getting started with the #NewCasEra!
The off-season has certainly been a busy one for 42-year-old, not just only in terms of recruitment, session preparation, and helping his staff get settled in, but Radford has also been putting his own style into the coaches and players areas at The Mend-A-Hose Jungle, with a fresh new look tied in with some small nods to the Club’s history, as he begins to lay down his own foundations at The Jungle.
“Hopefully the players see when they come in on day one, that a bit of a change has been made, and we can maintain the standards that we are looking to set out nice and early,” Radford told castlefordtigers.com.
“I’ve been trying to put my own stamp on the place but I’m also trying to make the place flow a little bit better. It will make their daily schedule flow a little bit better and that will tie in with the programme that we will set for them.
“This flow will mirror the flow of the days they come in for training as well.”
Members of Tigers squad will be returning for the start of pre-season next Monday with the excitement already starting for the 2022 campaign.
Radford outlined that the players have all completed their off-season sessions diligently, and further pointed out just how much he is looking forward to getting back out on the grass again.
“As a rule, early November has always been a good starting point and hopefully the players will come back refreshed and have really enjoyed their time off. I think for the majority of them it would have been six weeks off and the international lads will come back a little later.
“I am definitely looking forward to it now, it’s just around the corner, and we are doing the important finishing touches.
“The group have been given an off-season programme by Adam (Whitney) our conditioner and the numbers that have turned up for off-season sessions has been good. But I am really looking forward to working with the group as a whole.”
The Tigers’ player acquisitions this year have certainly been eye-catching with eight new faces coming through the door. Exciting signings such as Jake Mamo and Mahe Fonua have really captured the Fords faithful’s imagination.
It has been a recruitment drive that will see Radford’s side blessed with a great amount of squad depth.
With the acquisition of Callum McLelland ahead of the new campaign, Radford highlighted the halves being more competitive which can only be a good thing amongst the playing group.
“To have four young English halves is a plus for the club and we had a meeting with the spine of the team last week to pick their brains a bit. There are some changes that I would like to make but I don’t think it is a case of starting from scratch, the Club has done some really good stuff on the field over the last couple of seasons. We might tweak a few things rather than rip the playbook up and start again.
“When I spoke to the spine, I thought Danny Richardson spoke and came across really well, and to have those halfbacks all fighting for a spot I am looking forward to working with them all and seeing what they bring to the table.”
The Castleford Head Coach was also keen to point out the options he will have within the pack too.
“There are some solid blokes in the forward line as well. The likes of Daniel Smith and George Griffin are tough, hardnosed front-rowers, but they are the backbone of your group. I am looking forward to seeing all of that pack go at it.
“That for me highlights the importance of pre-season. They allow you to showcase your skills and this period is what you base your selection on for round one.”
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