Castleford Tigers coach Danny McGuire has expressed his delight at signing former Leeds Rhinos teammate Brad Singleton, who will make his debut for the Tigers against Catalans Dragons on Saturday. Singleton’s move to Castleford was made possible due to Salford Red Devils’ ongoing financial crisis, which has restricted their salary cap to just £1.2 million.
McGuire, who played alongside Singleton at Leeds Rhinos from 2011-2017, believes that the prop forward will be a valuable addition to the Tigers squad. “Singo became available and obviously I played with him and know him really well,” McGuire said. “He’s a good friend and wanted to come and be part of what we are trying to do.”
Singleton replaces Fletcher Rooney in the Tigers’ initial squad for Saturday’s match, after Rooney suffered a thigh injury in training that will keep him out of action until July. Jeremiah Simbiken is also available for selection following a suspension, while Joe Westerman, Jenson Windley, and Rowan Milnes are vying for a place in the 17.
Westerman missed the Tigers’ previous match against Salford due to illness, which resulted in him being hospitalized for a few days. McGuire revealed that Westerman had lost a significant amount of weight during his illness but has since returned to training and is finding his feet again.
McGuire also expressed sympathy for Salford’s situation, but emphasized that he has to do what is best for his own team. “I feel bad for their situation, nobody wants to see it,” he said. “But Singo became available and obviously I played with him and know him really well.”
The Tigers’ coach also hinted that he may be interested in signing other Salford players if their situation does not improve. “They’ve created a good team and culture and it seems like everyone’s just trying to pick at it, but ultimately that’s the way it is; that’s the game and we have to be in a position to strike if there’s someone who catches our attention – and we are.”