Catalans Dragons v Castleford Tigers: Craig Lingard braced for more short-term pain but effort and pride non-negotiables

Lingard has wielded the axe in the wake of last week's 50-8 home drubbing by Huddersfield Giants, with Cain Robb, Brad Martin and Samy Kibula among the beneficiaries.

The Tigers have been reminded about the standards Lingard expects but there is an acceptance that there will be bumps in the road after assembling a new-look squad on a modest budget with the new grading system in mind.

"It is difficult at times because you want your team to win every single week,” said Lingard. "That’s clearly not going to happen this year because we are where we are.

"We are in this rebuild and where the game is with IMG – whether you agree with it or not – promotion and relegation isn’t decided on the field.

“I suppose it has allowed the club this year to make sure we concentrate our efforts or finances off the field to make sure there’s a Super League future secured for Castleford.

"If we did it the other way around and put all the money into the squad this season and it came to the end of the season and the club hadn’t done what they needed to do off the field and the IMG points aren’t there and they get relegated then what’s the point?

"We have got to make sure we are looking forward and safeguarding the club. There is going to be some short-term pain, hopefully for the longer-term gain.

"We've got a three-year plan to establish a team."

Lingard is still waiting for his first win as Castleford boss ahead of Saturday's daunting clash with Catalans Dragons in Perpignan.

The Tigers showed encouraging signs in the early rounds but capitulated in worrying fashion against Huddersfield at Wheldon Road to make it four straight defeats.

Lingard has called on his players to put pride back in the badge at Stade Gilbert Brutus.

"As a minimum, we’ve got to be eight out of 10 for effort and work rate," he said. "If we do that, we will compete.

"We made 19 errors last week and we can’t do that again. We’ve got to have a response effort-wise, intelligence-wise and game management-wise. If we get that, we won’t be too far off.

"The Castleford public just want people to put a shift in and care about the club. That's what we've got to get back."