Castleford Tigers strike up surprise transfer for Wigan Warriors forward

Castleford Tigers have made a surprise early-season transfer after adding Wigan Warriors forward George Hirst to their squad on a one-month loan deal.

The Tigers and the Warriors squared off in Super League on Sunday afternoon, with Matt Peet’s side winning 26-16 at the OneBore Stadium.

And they have now struck up a transfer deal that will enable Hirst to get valuable game-time with the Tigers, with Ryan Carr’s side adding the former Oldham forward to their squad with immediate effect.

Hirst will spent at least the next month in West Yorkshire with Castleford. He joins the Tigers to add depth to their back-row options, which currently include the likes of Jordan Lane and captain Alex Mellor.

However, Hirst is capable of playing across the pack, giving Carr another option ahead of this weekend’s trip to Toulouse.

He joined Wigan on a two-year deal at the start of last season from Oldham, before heading back to the Roughyeds in 2025 on loan for their Championship play-off push.

But he will now link up with Castleford.

Warriors coach Matt Peet said: “This loan is a great opportunity for George to gain experience and hopefully play some Super League rugby for Castleford.”