Castleford Tigers Head Coach Danny McGuire Addresses Liam Horne’s Omission After Loss to Hull FC
Following Castleford Tigers’ disappointing 24-14 defeat to Hull FC, head coach Danny McGuire spoke about various topics, including his decision to leave out key player Liam Horne.
Horne, a standout performer last season, earned Castleford’s Player of the Year award and represented Papua New Guinea on the international stage. Despite his achievements, he was left out of the squad for the Hull FC match.
McGuire, who had previously sidelined Joe Westerman due to illness in Round Five, clarified that Horne’s omission was purely tactical. Speaking post-match, he stated, “I felt other players deserved an opportunity.”
Expanding on his reasoning, McGuire acknowledged that Horne hadn’t started the season as expected, describing his performances as “a bit erratic and a little bit loose.” He admitted it was a tactical call but questioned whether it was the right decision, considering the replacements failed to make a strong impact.
“He’ll be available for the next game,” McGuire confirmed, adding, “We probably missed a little bit of his energy out there.” Given Castleford’s struggles against Hull FC, Horne could return to the lineup for their upcoming match against Leigh Leopards in Round Seven.
However, fan turnout remains uncertain after back-to-back disappointing home performances. McGuire was particularly critical of his team’s effort, pointing out that they only showed urgency in the final ten minutes when the game was already out of reach.
“It wasn’t a great game. We were poor for most of it,” he admitted. “We only found energy at the end, which is disappointing. I wanted that intensity from the start.”
He criticized the team’s late surge, calling it a “cop-out” and suggesting it sent the wrong message. Speaking to Sky Sports, McGuire admitted the last-minute push frustrated him even more, as it highlighted the lack of consistent effort throughout the match.
In his post-game remarks, McGuire accused his squad of avoiding the “tough stuff,” saying, “Hull were comfortable, and then we decided to start playing, but you need to do that for the whole game if you want success.”
He expressed frustration over repeated mistakes, stating, “We’re not learning. Players are making the same errors every week.” While acknowledging the squad’s youth and inexperience, he emphasized the need for players to take responsibility and improve their discipline.
Castleford’s struggles were further magnified by Hull FC’s experienced spine of Jordan Rapana, Aidan Sezer, and John Asiata, while Castleford had two new overseas recruits and an absent Rowan Milnes.
“You need experience,” McGuire admitted. “Hull aren’t playing great, but they’re finding ways to win. They have confidence and fight for each other.”
Castleford, on the other hand, displayed inconsistency and failed to finish sets effectively—an issue McGuire aims to address before their next match against Leigh.