Castleford star Semi Valemei ruled out long-term as Tigers suffer triple injury blow

Castleford Tigers star Semi Valemei is set to miss ‘an extended period’ after tearing his hamstring in the final stages of last week’s win over Leeds Rhinos – and he’s not the only player out long-term.

The Tigers’ inconsistent season reached new heights on Friday when they were hammered by Wakefield Trinity – despite having a man advantage for well over an hour after Matty Storton was sent off for the hosts.

They were beaten 52-14 at the DIY Kitchens Stadium, a result which left Carr at a loss to explain.

But he did admit they have suffered several new injury blows – including one to Valemei.

Semi Valemei suffers serious injury

The centre, who has impressed when he has been in the Tigers team this season, tore his hamstring in the last moments of the win over Leeds Rhinos last weekend.

Scans subsequently confirmed the problem, meaning a lengthy lay-off and with just seven rounds remaining, a fair chance that he could be out for the rest of the 2026 season.

He is not the only one either, with Ashton Golding suffering the same injury and George Lawler battling on with a groin issue that prevented him from taking to the field on Friday.

Carr conceded: “Semi has torn his hammy and will be out for an extended period. He did it last week in the final five minutes and he stayed on the field. Ashton tore his hamstring so he will be out for a fair period I reckon and we had two or three head knocks.

“George has had to have his groin injected the last two weeks and had to get another injection this morning. We’ll manage that.

“He wanted to play, they all want to play – there’s no problem with the people and how much they want it. Just, unfortunately, doing it in the heat of the moment is what we are struggling with.”

Carr struggles to explain defeat

The Castleford coach admitted in his post-match press conference he was struggling to work out the spectacular nature of his side’s collapse, praising them for executing their game-plan until the defining moment when Storton was sent off.

“Up until [the red card] everything we came here to do, we did,” he said. “We were physical, tackling well, completing our sets and playing nice footy when we got opportunities.

“Then we had 35 per cent of the ball from that point on and they had 12 men. You need 50-50 minimum when they’ve got 12 men – 65-35 is a bit unheard of, but that’s what it was in the end. We didn’t have it because of us, simple.

“When you give a good team, full of good players, 65 per cent of the ball, they are going to be hard to handle. It’s like a snowball, it keeps growing bigger and bigger until you want to stand up and stop that momentum.”

The Tigers are back in action next weekend when they host Warrington Wolves on Saturday afternoon – but they look set to be thin on the ground when it comes to bodies after yet more injuries.