Ambitious Niall Evalds happy to be fighting for his Castleford Tigers’ starting spot in Super League 2021

The England Knights man met his new team-mates for the first time when Tigers’ players reported back to the club this week for a three-day camp at the start of pre-season.

Evalds, 27, was joint-second top try-scorer in Super League last year, when he touched down 22 times. He featured in Salford’s Grand Final loss to St Helens last season and at Wembley when they were beaten by Leeds Rhinos in the Challenge Cup decider two months ago.

Tigers have lacked consistency at full-back since Zak Hardaker left the club at the end of 2017, but now have two quality players vying for the position.

Another former Salford man Gareth O’Brien impressed this year after joining Castleford from Toronto Wolfpack and Evalds feels his place in the team is not guaranteed, despite his high profile arrival.

“There’s competition everywhere,” said Evalds, who was born in Halifax and made his Salford debut in 2013.

“That’s what you need, it keeps you on your toes.

“I have had it before, it makes you play better and it’s what a team like Cas needs.

“You don’t want to get complacent, so it is good and we are all really excited for the challenge.

“It will make us work harder in training and push us that extra bit.”

On a personal level, Evalds believes his best years are ahead of him and is looking to learn and improve “every day”.

He insisted: “That’s what I have done throughout my career and it’s no different now.

“I have got aspirations of playing internationally and things like that and that starts with hard work in training every day and performing on a weekend.

“I am here to improve the team and to improve myself.

“I hope to do the fans proud and I will do everything I can in training and games to make the club succeed.

“I have come here for a fresh challenge and that’s what it is going to be. I am excited to work with [coach] Daryl Powell and the players here.”

Tigers have not reached a final since their defeat by Leeds at Old Trafford three years ago.

Since then, Salford have featured in the last two of both major competitions, but Evalds makes no secret of the fact he has joined Castleford to win trophies.

He said: “I think this team is good enough to get to finals and really do something special.

“That’s why I have come here, the expectations of the club, Powelly and all the players here.

“It is up to us to meet those standards.

“I am excited for the fresh start and ready for the season. I want to enjoy this pre-season – as best as we can, with all the hard work – and get ready to play.”

A prolific try scorer, he will give Tigers’ attack a new dimension.

“Paul McShane, the Man of Steel, is an outstanding player and I am looking forward to having a relationship with any of the spine – Jake Trueman, Danny Richardson, Gareth O’Brien,” he said.

“There’s some quality players here and we’ll build on that over pre-season and come the first game that should be looking pretty fluent.”

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