Castleford star’s season over after surgery on horror injury confirmed as possible debut hinted

Castleford Tigers winger Innes Senior is set for a lengthy lay-off and will not play again this season after undergoing surgery on a serious ankle injury.

Senior dislocated his ankle during the Tigers’ win over Warrington Wolves a fortnight ago. Interim head coach Chris Chester confirmed after that victory that there were fears it would lead to a significant absence for the 25-year-old.

And those fears have now been realised, with Senior undergoing surgery in the days after that game, with a lengthy road to recovery now underway.

Chester confirmed: “Innes will be out for the rest of the year. He had surgery – we played on the Sunday and he had it on the Tuesday – on his ankle so that keeps him out for the rest of the season.”

Castleford will also be without forward Jeremiah Simbiken for the trip to St Helens on Friday night after he received a one-match ban for an incident in that win over the Wolves.

Chester confirmed the Tigers were giving consideration to appealing that, but he admitted the risks were not worth it, with any failed appeal resulting in five penalty points. That would have left Simbiken on the brink of a two-match ban, which would be triggered by any Grade A charge.

He said: “Jerry Simbiken got a suspension which is something that we were going to appeal but just looking at how the law is written, and the consequences of us fighting it and losing, it’s just pot luck with the system at the minute.

“I don’t like going into it too much. We took it on the chin, so he’s out next week but he’ll be available next week.”

And Chester will honour his promise of giving youngsters a shot at the end of the season after confirming ‘at least’ one of Jenson Windley or young winger Andy Djeukessi will feature on Friday night.

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