Castleford Tigers boss Craig Lingard provides injury latest as he discusses Albert Vete fitness

Richardson missed the entire 2023 campaign after sustaining a serious knee injury in the closing stages of the previous season.

The 27-year-old is unlikely to be ready in time for Castleford's first friendly at Keighley Cougars on January 14 but could feature when London visit Wheldon Road the following week.

Recent arrival Sylvester Namo will miss the start of the Super League season as he continues his recovery from an ACL injury.

Namo is the only name on the club's long-term casualty list, although fellow new boy Sam Wood came close to joining him after dropping a weight on his foot in the gym.

Tigers boss Craig Lingard said: "Sylvester is on track to be back around about March time.

"Danny Richardson is about 95 per cent there now so we can start upping his contact. He's hoping to be involved in the last two friendlies.

"Rowan Milnes missed a couple of weeks after tweaking his hamstring a little bit but he's back on the field in pretty much full training.

"Albert Vete has tweaked his calf a little bit again so he's off feet at the minute.

"Sam Wood dropped a weight on his toe in the gym and it ripped his toenail off so he had an operation on his toe to clean that up.

"Other than that, it's just the usual niggles, the strains and stresses you get during pre-season."

Vete ended last season on loan at League 1 side Doncaster after featuring just six times in his first year with Castleford.

The former Hull KR prop has failed to make his mark in Super League since his arrival from Melbourne Storm in 2021 and there are lingering concerns over his fitness heading into the new campaign.

"Albie knows where he is and what he needs to do," said Lingard.

"He's working as much as he can with the S&C (strength and conditioning) coaches. They've given him some direct targets that he needs to hit.

"He's still heavier than he needs to be and needs to get that weight off to be able to do what we need him to do on the field.

"We've upped the intensity and days training this year and can't have people breaking down continuously.

"For him to get to the level that we need him to train at, he's got to work really closely with the S&C department."

Lingard bolstered his pack options this week with the signing of Luis Johnson but does not expect any more arrivals before the big kick-off in February.

Castleford continue to look at the bigger picture, though, with prop Muizz Mustapha signing a new deal until 2027.

"We're not actively looking at the moment," added Lingard.

"All our quota spots are full and it would be difficult to bring someone in from the UK and slot them straight into what these guys have been doing so far."