Powell: We’re in our rightful position

Castleford coach Daryl Powell says the Super League table tells no lies after their superb start to the season.

The Tigers registered their eighth win from 10 so far this season, to leapfrog St Helens in to second place in the league table, thanks to a 40-6 mauling of Warrington on Easter Monday.

It leaves them six points clear of the Wolves, and just one win short of equalling their record for the whole of last season.

Powell said: “I thought we’d be good. When you put a team together and you’ve got quite a few new players in there then you don’t know how good.

“But the way the players have gone about it, it is a rightful position. It’s not by any fluke or luck, the players are putting genuine performances in. Whether I thought we’d be second I’m not sure about that, but I thought we’d be competing on a weekly basis.

“I thought we played some really smart stuff. Early on, Warrington just punched their noses through us a little bit and they had a little bit of ascendancy in terms of field position, but once we got a foothold in the game we were really good.”

Powell succeeded Ian Millward at The Jungle midway through last season, and despite the departure of former Man of Steel Rangi Chase, has transformed their fortunes.

Castleford have picked up wins against Warrington, Wakefield, London, Hull, Wigan, Hull KR, Catalan and Bradford in Super League so far this season.

They are also through to the fifth round of the Challenge Cup, where they will play Championship side Sheffield this Sunday.