Wigan v Castleford: Challenge Cup quarter-final preview
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 25/06/16 9:32pm
Lee Jewitt will return to the scene of the high point of his career when Castleford travel to Wigan in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.
The former Wigan prop scored the match-clinching try in the Tigers' shock 16-4 quarter-final victory at the DW Stadium two years ago that condemned his old club to their first home defeat in the Cup for 28 years.
"I don't score many tries so when you do it's special," said Jewitt, who lives just 10 minutes from the DW Stadium. "It's probably the highlight of my career as a whole.
"Hopefully we can come away with the result, that's the main thing. It's going to be tough, it always is going there, but all we have to do is focus on ourselves. We're a good team and we're tough, it's about going there and executing our game plan."
Oldham-born Jewitt, 29, who started his career at Wigan in 2005, was in the Castleford team that went on to reach the final in 2014, losing 23-10 to Leeds, and admits another Wembley outing would provide a perfect way to end his career in England as he prepares to take his family to Australia.
"It's something I dream about and I do think about it now," said Jewitt, who will play for Townsville Blackhawks, the feeder club for North Queensland Cowboys, next year.
"I can't even describe the feelings I'd get from that but one game at a time. Let's get the job done this week and then get excited for the semi-finals."
Castleford, who are taking more than 2,000 fans to the game, are still without scrum-half Luke Gale and winger Paddy Flynn is cup-tied.
Tigers head coach Daryl Powell brings back Jewitt and back-row forwards Oliver Holmes and Mike McMeeken while Greg Minikin is in contention after being recalled from Batley.
Wigan are boosted by the return of captain Sean O'Loughlin after five weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, while George Williams, Dan Sarginson and Sam and Joel Tomkins are also back to help plug the gaps caused by the loss of Dom Crosby and Anthony Gelling.
Wigan coach Shaun Wane said: "Castleford are a very tough team to play against. They've got a lot of talent and they know how to win games so I've got a lot of respect for them.
"They knocked us out of the cup a few years ago so I understand that we need to be very, very good."
Wigan Warriors: Joe Bretherton, Greg Burke, Josh Charnley, Ben Flower, Oliver Gildart, Willie Isa, Dom Manfredi, Lee Mossop, Sean O'Loughlin, Sam Powell, Dan Sarginson, Matty Smith, Ryan Sutton, Taulima Tautai, Lewis Tierney, Joel Tomkins, Sam Tomkins, Jack Wells, George Williams.
Castleford Tigers: Matt Cook, Ben Crooks, Luke Dorn, Oliver Holmes, Tom Holmes, Lee Jewitt, Nathan Massey, Mike McMeeken, Paul McShane, Grant Millington, Adam Milner, Greg Minikin, Junior Moors, Joel Monaghan, Larne Patrick, Gadwin Springer, Denny Solomona, Danny Tickle, Jake Webster.