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The Tigers head into the game on the back of two wins against the Salford Red Devils in both the league and cup. With just one loss this season, Daryl Powell’s side sit third in the Super League table.
Meanwhile for Hull Kingston Rovers, they will be looking for their third win of the season and boost their potentially slim hopes of making the playoffs.
Tony Smiths’ side will have had a sixteen-day rest compared to the Tigers’ nine, which could be the difference between the two sides. Last time out Rovers were on the wrong end of a 50-26 scoreline, in a match that saw Greg Inglis make his debut for the Warrington Wolves.
Positive news has come from the Tigers camp teams this week with Nathan Massey, Niall Evalds, and Daniel Smtih all signing two-year contract extensions. Getting Evalds to sign on the dotted line is potentially one of the most important signings the club could have made ahead of the 2022 season.
The fullback position has been a struggle for the Tigers to pin down, since Zak Hardaker’s dismissal from the club in 2017. Evalds has been one of the Tigers’ key players this season, on debut against Warrington in the opening game of the season, he put in a performance that looked like he had been under the guidance of head coach Daryl Powell for a number of years.
Monday’s opponents have seen Jordan Abdull and Ethan Ryan sign new three-year and two-year deals respectively. Abdull has been a key part of the Rovers halfback partnership.
Fans returning is the most eagerly anticipated event of this season, the Rovers head coach knows that having an atmosphere back should improve how his side will play for the rest of the season. “The players have tried their hardest but sportspeople get pumped up about the people who are there watching. The atmosphere is part of their performance and they are performers,” Smith told HullLive.
“Whether there’s a crowd for you or against you, it doesn’t matter. You prefer it when it’s for you but just having a crowd will be a great novelty for our players. I think there will be a big response from both sets of players. Hopefully, we can keep the crowd quiet over at Cas.
“That’ll be down to us but we’ll relish the opportunity to get back out there in front of crowds.”
When it comes to injuries and team news, Castleford will be without Grant Millington and Liam Watts, with the latter serving a two-game ban for a dangerous tackle on Salford’s Elijah Taylor. The ban was initially a one-game ban but was upgraded to two games due to a ‘frivolous’ appeal, something that Tigers boss Daryl Powell does not understand.
“I don’t know how he got two,” Powell told the Yorkshire Post. He appealed but you can’t appeal now, can you?
“That’s what they are after. I don’t understand it, to be honest. “Apparently it was a frivolous appeal. It’s a great word ‘frivolous’ isn’t it…? But I just think it’s wrong that you can’t appeal something. I always thought you were innocent until proven guilty.”
The Robins will be without Ethan Ryan, who picked up a wrist injury. Greg Minikin and Ben Crooks will be to battling it out for a space on the wing. Rowan Milnes is likely to be the half-back partner for Jordan Abdull in the halves.
When it comes to statistics, Castleford are the third-highest scoring side in Super League behind Warrington and the Catalans Dragons. On average the Tigers have scored 26 points per game this season, whilst defensively they have conceded 16 per game. For Hull KR they have an average of 21 points per game, but have conceded 27 per game played.
Team News
Tigers Squad: Niall Evalds, Derrell Olpherts, Peter Mata’utia, Michael Shenton, Jake Trueman, Danny Richardson, Paul McShane, Oliver Holmes, Adam Milner, Nathan Massey, George Griffin, Tyla Hepi, James Clare, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Daniel Smith, Jordan Turner, Lewis Bienek, Lewis Peachey, Brad Martin, Sam Hall, Gareth O’Brien.
KR Squad: Adam Quinlan, Ben Crooks, Greg Minikin. Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Ryan Hall, Jordan Abdull. Matt Parcell, Korbin Sims. Brad Takairangi, Kane Linnett. Dean Hadley. Jez Litten, George Lawler, George King, Matty Storton, Will Dagger, Rowan Milnes, Will Maher, Luis Johnson. Muizz Mustapha. Jimmy Keinhorst.
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