Castleford youngster Sam Hall signs new deal with Tigers
Castleford Tigers have re-signed young forward Sam Hall to a new two-year contract, keeping him at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle until the end of the 2024 season.
Hall, 20, is a product of the Castleford’s youth system, having progressed through the club from the age of 14.
Coming through the scholarship and academy, he made his first team debut in 2020 against Wigan aged just 17. He has made five senior appearances to date.
He becomes the third youngster to commit their future to the Tigers in recent weeks, with Cain Robb and Jason Qareqare also signing contract extensions keeping them at the club until 2024.
Sam Hall on new contract
He said: “I’m over the moon. I’m really glad to be here for another two years. I’ve been here since scholarship now, so coming up to five years nearly at the club.
“I feel very much at home, I like the environment and the players. When you come in and everyone makes you feel welcome, you just want to be here, there was never any doubt, I wanted to stay here.”
“The players that we’ve got here this year, the depth of the forwards that we’ve got in the team, for someone like me who is not playing loads at the minute I’m able to learn off them, it’s really good.
“Westy (Joe Westerman), Wattsy (Liam Watts), Massey (Nathan Massey), it’s learning different bits off everyone. Obviously, Westy is ball playing, we’ve got Smiggy (Daniel Smith) and Wattsy running the ball in and it’s all these bits that I can add to my game.”
Lee Radford praises talented Hall
Castleford head coach Lee Radford added: “There is some real talent there. Sam has a smart football IQ and a great skill set. He plays in a position where there is a genuine pathway for him at the club and we need to physically get him up to speed as a week in, week out Super League front-rower.
“He’s intelligent. He’s doing a university degree at the moment too, a smart kid. But his challenges will be physical over the next couple of seasons.
“I’ve said previously that making the age of our squad younger is highly important, that is all dependent on the market too. So, to get our first three pieces of retention as three young fellas renewed clearly fits into that plan.”
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