Salford Red Devils v Castleford Tigers: Super League preview
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 02/07/16 11:14am
Castleford will look to bounce back from their Challenge Cup exit by securing a top-eight finish in the First Utility Super League when they take on Salford at the AJ Bell Stadium on Friday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7.30pm.
The Tigers have little option but to concentrate on the league following their 26-12 Cup quarter-final defeat by Wigan and, after winning just one of their last four matches, still need two points to ensure they qualify for the Super 8s.
"This week's game is huge - the coming four games are huge for us - and we need to get back to winning ways," Castleford assistant coach Danny Orr said.
"I still believe that on our day we can beat anybody, we've just got to nail a few good performances and get on a winning run and if you do that, who knows where it could lead."
The Tigers are seven points ahead of 10th-placed Salford with four games left before the split, and defeat for the Red Devils would leave them needing to win their appeal against the six points deducted for an alleged salary cap breach in order to keep their top-eight hopes alive.
That hearing will take place in Manchester next Wednesday and in the meantime coach Ian Watson is hoping to arrest a three-match losing run which he feels does not reflect the competitiveness of his team.
The Red Devils have suffered 23-20 and 31-30 home defeats by Wigan and Huddersfield respectively and in between went down 8-0 at Leeds.
"We've had a few close losses and it's important we turn them into wins," said Watson.
"You want to build momentum so you are going forward in good form. We've been playing some good stuff in small patches and we need to do that for 80 minutes."
Knocked out of the Cup at the fifth-round stage, Salford were left kicking their heels last weekend but Watson says the week off has been beneficial.
"We've had a real good two weeks preparation-wise," he said. "We had a tough week last week and toned it down a little this week. The break has done us some good, we're getting a few bodies back on the field."
Castleford are without Super League's top tryscorer Denny Solomona because of injury while Salford's former Tigers winger Justin Carney begins a two-match ban.
Watson is set to give a debut to hooker Sean Kenny, who has joined the club from Warrington.
"Sean is settling in nicely," said Watson. "He's trained really well with us over the last week. He's a real quick dummy half and is solid defensively as well."
Salford Red Devils: Jake Bibby, Michael Dobson, Niall Evalds, Mark Flanagan, George Griffin, Weller Hauraki, Josh Jones, Phil Joseph, Sean Kenny, Craig Kopczak, Olsi Krasniqi, Robert Lui, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Gareth O'Brien, Junior Sa'u, Logan Tomkins, Daniel Vidot, Adam Walne, Jordan Walne.
Castleford Tigers: Matt Cook, Ben Crooks, Luke Dorn, Paddy Flynn, Luke Gale, Oliver Holmes, Tom Holmes, Nathan Massey, Mike McMeeken, Paul McShane, Grant Millington, Adam Milner, Greg Minikin, Junior Moors, Joel Monaghan, Larne Patrick, Gadwin Springer, Danny Tickle, Jake Webster.
Watch Salford v Castleford live on Sky Sports 1 HD on Friday from 7.30pm. Catch the match for £6.99 with a NOW TV day pass.