Tigers bring in Isa

Correspondent

Castleford this week swooped to the signing of Samoan Test International three-quarter Willie Isa from Melbourne.

Isa, 21, joins the Tigers initially on a one-year deal as a replacement for the recently retired James Evans, having made his NRL debut with Penrith in 2009.

Tigers head coach Terry Matterson said: “I’m excited to have enticed Willie to the Tigers.

“With the sudden retirement of James Evans it was important that we strengthened in the centre positions and we feel with Willie’s acquisition we have more than covered that area.

“He is a very strong and allusive centre who will bring some genuine speed to our backline.”

Isa lined up for Samoa against New Zealand in their Four Nations warm-up match, and will move head over to Yorkshire in January.

He said: “My coach at Melbourne Storm, Craig Bellamy speaks highly of Terry and I’ve heard a lot of good things so I’m pretty excited about working with him at Castleford.

“I can guarantee that I will do my best for the players and fans at the club. The fans play a lot of money to come to games and I will be out there doing my best for them every game.”

Isa is the club’s seventh new signing this closed season. He joins Richard Mathers (Warrington), Danny Orr (Harlequins), Nick Youngquest (Crusaders), Nick Fozzard, Jacob Emmitt (St Helens) and Martin Aspinwall (Huddersfield) in signing for the Tigers.