We look ahead to Thursday’s crucial Super League clash between Castleford and Warrington, live on Sky Sports Arena from 7pm; Tigers coach Daryl Powell, who joins Warrington after this season, says he had a premonition his side’s play-off hopes would come down to this game
Last Updated: 15/09/21 5:24pm
Castleford coach Daryl Powell says he had a premonition the Tigers’ playoff hopes would come down to the final game vs Warrington – the club he is joining
Castleford coach Daryl Powell had a premonition that his club’s Super League play-off hopes would come down to the last game of the regular season – and a clash with his future club Warrington, live on Sky Sports.
Powell announced at the start of 2021 that he would be ending his eight-year stay at the Tigers to join the Wolves and says he anticipated a season-long rivalry between his current and future employers that will culminate in a win-or-bust clash at the Jungle on Thursday night.
Victory will secure a play-off spot – and coincidentally a trip to Warrington next Friday – but defeat will signal the end of the season and Powell’s time with his hometown club, as well as gifting both Hull KR and Leeds places in the top six ahead of Friday’s meeting at Headingley.
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Powell, who is joining Warrington on a three-year contract, has already engineered victories in two of the three meetings with his next club this season, including a memorable 35-20 success that took them to Wembley, and is hoping to complete the hat-trick.
« I knew it would come to this to be honest, » he said. « I was pretty certain we’d get drawn against Warrington in the semi-final (of the Challenge Cup) and I always felt the play-offs would come down to this game.
« I thought we had to win six of our last eight games and we’ve won five.
« It’s just a good opportunity for us. We had to win last week or this week to be in the six and it comes down to this. It’s a great opportunity to put it all on the line and play well. »
Win or lose, Powell knows the next time he coaches at Wheldon Road it will be with the away team and he is bracing himself for an emotional evening.
« I’ve just taken a walk around the stadium on my own because, at some point, it hits you that this is it, » he said.
Powell departs Castleford for the Wolves after this season having coached them since 2013
« I’m not going to be coaching another game here. I just want to make sure it doesn’t end here, that’s the most important thing.
« Emotion is important in team sport, it’s getting the needle just right so you don’t tip it into over-excitement, but I think we’ve got the right balance. It should be a great game. »
Castleford sit seventh in the Super League currently, but will push to try and get into the top six and playoff spots
In addition to their coach, Castleford fans will bid fond farewells to captain Michael Shenton and prop Grant Millington, who are retiring, and Peter Mata’utia and Oliver Holmes, who are following Powell to his new club, but departing Warrington coach Steve Price is confident his team will not get caught up in the emotion in the home camp.
« I’m not too concerned about that, » said Price, whose side have already secured a third-place finish.
« It’s about what we can control. We just want to play the style of footy that has got us in this position and keep on growing our game.
« We know they’re going to be desperate, but so are we.
« Everyone is going to have to wait until the game, but we’ve got a few options there. »
Warrington’s Steve Price spoke to media this week ahead of the clash too
Team news and stats
Castleford have prop Liam Watts back from suspension and hope to have hooker Paul McShane back from injury, along with Grant Millington and Gareth O’Brien but Warrington-bound second rower Oliver Holmes is out with a neck injury.
Warrington are strengthened by the return of props Chris Hill, Mike Cooper, Sitaleki Akauola and Joe Philbin but have lost centre Toby King to injury and are still without a specialist hooker with Daryl Clark and Danny Walker on the sidelines. Matt Davis, who deputised as hooker for the win over Salford, is also out with a torn bicep.
Last season: Castleford 10-12 Warrington, Warrington 9-8 Castleford
Last six league matches: Castleford WWWLWL Warrington WLWLWW.
Top try scorers: Jordan Turner (Castleford) 12; Jake Mamo (Warrington) 14.
Top goal scorers: Danny Richardson (Castleford) 45; Stefan Ratchford (Warrington) 64.
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