Super League play-offs: Salford Red Devils vs Castleford Tigers talking points

Live on Salford vs Castleford Super League 7:45pm Thursday 26th September AJ Bell Stadium We have a look at the big issues, hear from both camps and have the team news ahead of the play-off conflict between Salford Red Devils and Castleford Tigers at t … Super League play-offs: Salford Red Devils vs Castleford Tigers talking points weiterlesen →

Live on

Salford vs Castleford
Super League
7:45pm Thursday 26th September

AJ Bell Stadium

We have a look at the big issues, hear from both camps and have the team news ahead of the play-off conflict between Salford Red Devils and Castleford Tigers at the AJ Bell Stadium…
It is a frightening prospect for opponents to look at the possibility Jackson Hastings could produce displays that are greater than the ones he has so far in 2019, but that is exactly what the self-appraisal of the Salford talisman is.
Hastings‘ first full time at the AJ Bell Stadium has seen him win the Rugby League Writers and Broadcasters Association’s player of the year accolade and eventually become the favourite to assert Super League’s Man of Steel award also.
Even Daryl Powell, head trainer of Thursday’s opponents, went on record calling him“the best player in the comp“. However, the man himself considers there continue to be areas of his game he wants to improve in.
„There has been moments this past year where I’ve been really proud of everything I have managed to attain on the area and there have been moments where I had wanted to have done more,“ Hastings said.
„My sport is nowhere near perfect. There is a couple of little things which I need to fix up.“
Along with being grateful to Salford for helping him rebuild his career after departing NRL side Manly Sea Eagles under a cloud mid-season in 2018, Hastings is thankful for the assistance and advice of his mom Megan.
Even the 23-year-old half-back will be hoping she will have the ability to fly over from Australia to see the Super League season along with his time’s climax even though he hopes it moves much better than when she last on these beaches showed her support.
„She came last year to watch me perform and I got red-carded the very first match,“ Hastings remembered.
„She’s seen me play in two years live which is actually odd for our loved ones, but I’ve got two small sisters who need caring for in the home.
„Mum’s obviously disappointed that she can’t watch all of the time, but she has updated with the lovers. They blow off her phone up, she wakes up about 200 messages“
There was little surprise when Castleford attained the Super League Grand Final for the first time in 2017, having finished top of the regular-season table and maintained the League Leaders‘ Shield in the conclusion of the Super Eights .
But after playing some scintillating and edging past St Helens at the semi-finals, Daryl Powell’s negative came up short against Leeds Rhinos at Old Trafford in a humbling beat.
Fast forward two years and the Tigers are in the play-offs again, after sneaking to points difference on the last night of the regular season but this time very few folks are talking about them.
At least few individuals were before Thursday, when Castleford compelled by knocking out Challenge Cup winners Warrington Wolves at the very first elimination game using a 14-12 win in the Halliwell Jones Stadium the remainder of Super League sit up and take notice.
The only Yorkshire representative in this year old play-offs could need to again to get a place at Old Trafford should they undergo Thursday’s match and will need to travel across the Pennines this week to confront Salford in a second elimination match.
Oliver Holmes, who played with his hometown club at that final two years back, agreed doing it the tough way in 2019 has gained Castleford in those knock-out matches and is not fazed by that prospect however.
„Travelling over the Pennines to Lancashire isn’t always nice – clearly, because you’re going to Lancashire,“ Holmes joked. „But I think we’ve dealt with it fairly well and we are likely to need to manage it very well again on Thursday.
„Much like Powelly has said, we are in better shape today looking forward to this play-offs than we were in 2017 – and I think he’s perfect.
„We’ve had to deal with a great deal more, we’re far more hardened and there’s far more steel in us than back then, so I guess it is going to stand us in good stead.“
It’s honours so much with the teams winning one match through the Super League season.
Tries out of Nathan Massey, Jordan Rankin – that kicked four goals – Greg Eden and Jesse Sene-Lefao demonstrated sufficient to allow the Tigers to have a victory against the Red Devils at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle in March.
Salford got one back on Castleford in June with that guy Hastings putting up in the 26-16 victory and helping propel the hosts to victory by scoring a try.
Lee Mossop, niall Evalds and Derrell Olpherts all crossed together with Krisnan Inu kicking six goals to put the seal as well, to the Red Devils.
Even the victors on Thursday evening would one step away from a spot at the Grand Final, go through to face the loser of Friday’s showdown between Wigan Warriors and St Helens in the final the next week.
Salford head trainer Ian Watson has stuck using the identical team as last week’s qualifying game off to Wigan, which found them placed despite enduring an defeat.
Tigers head coach Daryl Powell has made two changes to his squad in the elimination play-off in the triumph over Warrington.
Calum Turner and mike McMeeken are ruled out due to trauma, however, Greg Eden and Nathan Massey are both back in emptiness.
Salford Red Devils 19-man squad: Niall Evalds, Kris Welham, Jake Bibby, Lee Mossop, Adam Wood, Gil Dudson, Josh Jones, George Griffin, Mark Flanagan, Joey Lussick, Adam Walker, Greg Burke, Tyrone McCarthy, Logan Tomkins, Ken Sio, Krisnan Inu, Ryan Lannon, Tui Lolohea, Jackson Hastings
Castleford Tigers 19-man squad: Cheyse Blair, James Clare, Chris Clarkson, Matt Cook, Greg Eden, Jamie Ellis, Oliver Holmes, Will Maher, Nathan Massey, Peter Mata’utia, Paul McShane, Grant Millington, Adam Milner, Greg Minikin, Jacques O’Neill, Jordan Rankin, Daniel Smith, Jake Trueman, Liam Watts