Castleford Tigers expect to appoint a head coach on Monday and the new man will have a much-changed squad to work with when he takes charge in pre-season.
Speaking after Saturday’s “pathetic” 64-6 home hammering by Leeds Rhinos, Tigers director of rugby Chris Chester admitted some players currently contracted for 2026 won’t be at the club next year.
Chester, who is doubling up as interim-coach until the new man arrives, admitted: “If you ask [Rhinos coach] Brad Arthur how many players he would take from our current team, I don’t think it would be many. We have got to clear the decks and get the right people in – mentally tough rugby league players. We are not a mentally tough group.”
He stressed: “I’ve got to make sure, moving forward, I make the right decisions with the team selection of players who are going to be here next year.
“There will be tough conversations with players who are contracted for next year, but won’t be here next year.
“It is just frustrating, we have had too much of this; we’ve had five years of mediocrity. I hope it hurts them [the players] as much as it hurts me and the rest of my staff.
“I know how much it means to the town and maybe some of these don’t quite feel the same way.”
Asked in his post-match press conference how many of Saturday’s team he expects to be at the club next year, Chester said: “Probably about eight-10, if I get my own way. I want people here who are going to fight for everything and work hard.”
Of the new coach, Chester said: “I am hopeful there’s going to be an announcement on Monday – mind you, that performance might have put him off!”
Castleford Tigers boss labels Leeds Rhinos loss ‘pathetic’
Reflecting on the game against Leeds, Chester apologised to Tigers’ fans for the “lack of effort” shown by the home side.
He said: “I don’t like using the word, but I thought it was pathetic. The way we played in that first 40 minutes was probably the worst individual and collective performance I’ve ever been involved in.
“Fair play to Leeds, they out-muscled, out-enthused and out-fought us. We got beat on effort, which is totally unacceptable for a game like today. There were 36 missed tackles in the first half – that’s rubbish.”
Chester had hoped full-back Tex Hoy would be available to return, but he suffered a new calf injury in training.
Winger Josh Simm limped off and prop Joe Stimson failed a head injury assessment, ruling him out of next week’s visit to Catalans Dragons.
