Castleford Tigers new signing Jake Mamo wants to nail down centre spot

Swapping sides: Warrington's Jake Mamo, right,
in action against his new club Castleford. Picture Bruce Rollinson — Swapping sides: Warrington's Jake Mamo, right, in action against his new club Castleford. Picture Bruce Rollinson

The electric Australian arrives on a three-year deal and is their second capture confirmed for next term following the recruitment of Wakefield Trinity’s England loose forward Joe Westerman. Pacey Mamo, 27, has plenty of versatility having first arrived in Super League as a full-back with Huddersfield Giants.

He also plays winger but has been shining for Warrington at centre following an injury to ex-Kangaroos star Greg Inglis.

Indeed, Mamo scored a brilliant hat-trick in Wolves’ 40-14 destruction of Wigan Warriors on Wednesday, taking his season tally to 11 tries.

Lee Radford, who takes over as Castleford coach next term, has been on the lookout for a centre given Pete Mata’utia is moving the other way to Warrington in 2022.

Mamo, who featured in the NRL with Newcastle Knights, said: “I’m really excited to get it (contract) done and I am happy to be coming to a club like Cas.

“I’ve played against them the last five years and whenever you go there, even though the crowd is against you, it’s always a great atmosphere. It’s exciting to be at a club with such good history.

“I have bounced around different positions; even when I was at Huddersfield I played at centre, wing and full-back.

Key signing: Jake Mamo, right, has been in fine form for Warrington this season. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

“For four years now I have played in various positions, and it can be a bit of a curse sometimes that you are kind of adjustable.

“I think what was needed for me was to cement a spot and play in the centre consistently. That consistency in that position has allowed me to learn the role and I’m getting better each game.”

Radford certainly agrees and said he is “over the moon” to secure the charismatic Mamo’s signature.

“Jake is a very athletic rugby player, and he plays with a smile on his face,” he said.

“The more I looked into his background, the more good things I heard about him. He is certainly going to give us strength on that edge going into 2022.

“The fact he can cover full-back and wing is great, but I think that he is a strike centre; he ticks a lot of boxes in the athleticism department. He has speed. You can’t coach that, and he has got it in abundance,

“I’m sure we can try to put him in as much space as we possibly can.”