Clear policy of Tigers to keep hold of their young prospects

The West Yorkshire club, who have also signed Leigh Centurions prop Steve Nash on a two-year deal, have made it their clear intention to retain as much of their homegrown talent as possible.

Milner, 19, is one of Castleford’s finest prospects having proved his worth this season making 20 starts and delivering performances well beyond his tender years.

New Tigers coach Ian Millward said: “Adam is a tremendous hooker at 19 years of age.

“The club is blessed to have him and young (Daryl) Clark also coming through in that position.

“I’m over the moon Adam wants to stay at the club and that the club is refusing any sort of interest in him or any of our young talents.

“The only interest we have is in them playing for the Castleford Tigers.

“Daryl is in the process of having his contract extended, too, and it must be really exciting for Castleford fans coming to games knowing that people who live in your area are playing for your club.

“It’s hard to believe that these two young hookers at 18 and 19 are playing so well at first grade, such are the demands of Super League. It’s all good for the future.”

n Eight players have been suspended for their part in a brawl that marred Sunday’s Co-operative Championship Grand Final.

The game at Warrington was halted early in the second half after virtually all 26 players began fighting and Featherstone’s Kirk Netherton and Sheffield Eagles’ Joe Hirst were sin-binned for sparking the incident.

Both players were given one-match bans and £50 fines, as were Featherstone centre Greg Worthington and Sheffield’s Quentin Laulu-Togagae, Misi Taulapapa, Tim Bergin and Dane McDonald when they appeared before the Rugby Football League’s disciplinary committee.

Featherstone’s Tony Tonks, who this week signed for Super League club Huddersfield, was banned for two matches and fined £100 for his part in the incident.

Sheffield prop Mitch Stringer was also banned for two matches after he was found guilty of deliberately dropping with the knee on winger Tommy Saxton in an earlier incident.

n Outstanding Manly Sea Eagles loose forward Glenn Stewart, man of the match in Sunday’s NRL Grand Final, has withdrawn from Australia’s Four Nations squad on compassionate grounds and is replaced by St George Illawarra back-row Beau Scott.