Castleford Tigers sign ex-Wigan Warriors and Wakefield Trinity half-back on one-year deal

Castleford Tigers have signed former Wigan Warriors and Wakefield Trinity utility back Ryan Hampshire on a deal until the end of the 2022 season.

The 27-year-old has been without a club since leaving Wakefield at the end of last campaign.

The Wakefield-born player started his career at Wigan Warriors where he enjoyed loan spells at Castleford and Workington Town. He joined Leigh in 2017 before moving to his hometown club.

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Hampshire's loan spell at Wheldon Road was in 2016 and he says he is grateful for the chance to represent the club again.

RYAN HAMPSHIRE: Has joined Castleford Tigers until the end of the season. Picture: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com.RYAN HAMPSHIRE: Has joined Castleford Tigers until the end of the season. Picture: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com.
RYAN HAMPSHIRE: Has joined Castleford Tigers until the end of the season. Picture: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com.

“The club has changed a lot since I was first here back in 2016. It is all different around the place and I am looking forward to seeing how it goes," he said.

“The people at the club are all good people. I struggled to get in the side at the start in my first spell but managed to get a good number of games near the end and had a really enjoyable year.”

Hampshire feels he can provide head coach Lee Radford with more options at full-back and half-back as the Tigers look to improve on their one win from five games at the start of the 2022 season.

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“Me and Lee have had a chat and he’s said he is going to build me up by getting involved in training over the next few weeks," added Hampshire.

"There is a lot of competition for places but I can play full-back or in the halves so I will be able to provide quite a few options.

“I just want to be competitive and ready to go. The lads have been really welcoming and it is good to see some faces that I haven’t seen for a while. I’ve only had a couple of sessions with them, and it has been good to get back into it.

“I can help the team across plenty of positions but hopefully I will be able to get a run at a certain position so I can develop some more momentum and form.”

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Hampshire has been training on his own and Radford is pleased with the player's fitness but admits it will still take a few weeks to get him up to speed.

Radford added: "I’m really pleased to be bringing Rocky in. At the moment we’re obviously a bit light in a couple of positions and he can play and deliver good performances for us.

“He’s kept himself in great shape, but we probably just need to put him through some sessions and get him hardened over the next few weeks.”