Danny McGuire provides comprehensive recruitment update with ‘attractable’ admission made

Castleford Tigers head coach Danny McGuire has offered a comprehensive update on the club’s short and long-term recruitment.

The Fords drafted in Daejarn Asi, Zac Cini, Jeremiah Simbiken and Judah Rimbu during the off-season, and have since added Dan Okoro on a season-long loan and Lee Kershaw on a two-week loan deal. Ben Davies also joined the club on a short-term loan, however, he has returned to his parent club St Helens this week.

Danny McGuire breaks down Castleford Tigers recruitment plans

Recruitment has always been a major talking point for the Fords, and new boss McGuire spoke candidly about the problems facing the club and how they are not an attractive prospect.

“It’s hard at the moment, recruitment stuff,” he told members of the media ahead of his side’s clash with St Helens. “To be honest, we’re not that attractable at the moment and we’ve got to try and change that. We’ve got to get some players in and we’ve also got to show players that are already here that they are committing because there’s a future, and Fletcher (Rooney) signing a five-year deal is huge (for that).”

The club were also heavily linked with a play for Leeds Rhinos prop Mikolaj Oledzki this off-season, with Fords Director of Rugby Danny Wilson detailing to All Out Rugby League how they offered him marquee-level money to bring him to the Mend-A-Hose Jungle.

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“We tried hard,” McGuire said on the potential deal. “Whether we were close or not you’d have to ask Mikolaj. Being in the environment at Leeds, I was there for a long time, it’s really hard to be prized away from that. I feel like, with recruitment, as long as you give everything and work every angle, and I think we put that together as a club and didn’t quite get it over the line; and that’s happened with a few players, Mikolaj isn’t the only one.”

He also added the club are still in conversations with other potential recruits.

“There’s lot going on and lots of conversations happening, and at the moment we’re just not able to get them over the line. That’s not through lack of effort, either, it’s just circumstances at the minute. We’ve just got to keep being patient and making ourselves more attractable to players, which will come in time.”

Despite this, McGuire also said he is keen to build a ‘foundation’ with the players currently at his disposal.

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“I’m really keen to build a foundation first. We’ve got lots of players here that are committed and working hard, and then you’re able to piece that with a bit more quality or players from overseas, but it’s really important to look after what we’ve got first and make that really strong.”

Potential loan signings?

As mentioned above, Castleford have already dipped into the loan market this year, and when asked by Love Rugby League, McGuire didn’t rule out going into it once again to add some extra reinforcements.

“Potentially, yeah. We’ve got a few injuries, particularly in the outside backs, and it’s not secret we’ve been looking for a middle for a while but that’s just not happening at the minute.”

He added: “Again, that’s not through lack of effort, it’s just getting someone to join our journey is proving tough and clubs aren’t willing to let their players go as well. It’s ongoing, as always.”

Kershaw and Okoro are both in-line for their first appearances for the Fords this season, with both being named in the 21-man squad for their clash with St Helens.

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