THE new Betfred Super League season is just around the corner but incoming Castleford Tigers head coach Lee Radford admits there are plenty of places still up for grabs in his 17.

He will get the chance to cast his eye over most of his squad tomorrow when the former Hull FC chief takes charge of his first Castleford game, a friendly at York City Knights.

Radford has named a 24-man squad with six of his eight new signings set to debut, only Callum McLelland (knee) and George Lawler (banned) missing out.

Welcome return: Jake Trueman is in the Castleford Tigers squad for the pre-season match against York City Knights. Picture Bruce Rollinson

Tigers face Doncaster in their other friendly on Sunday week before starting their league campaign against Salford Red Devils on February 11.

Radford maintains he has far from decided on what his 17 will be.

“I think there’s literally five or six that you could go one way or the other and it wouldn’t be too detrimental to the team,” he said.

“For every player to put their best foot forward, not only this week, but next and also in the three weeks following in training, is incredibly important.”

First match: Lee Radford takes charge of Castleford for the first time against York.
Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe — First match: Lee Radford takes charge of Castleford for the first time against York. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

As much as the players are looking forward to their first hit-out, Radford has added reason to be excited by the prospect, too.

Not only is it his first game in charge of the West Yorkshire club but it is the first time he has coached a team in a fixture for 22 months. His last game before being sacked at Hull was on March 12, 2020.

“I am very much looking forward to it,” he said.

“It has been a while – two years – since I have taken a team.

“Pre-season, although we are probably only seven or eight weeks in, feels like it has been a long one, so the players are ready to play as well.

“We’re almost going with two 13s: one in the first half and one in the second.

“We’ll give everyone a minimum of 40 minutes.”

Castleford fans will be pleased to see stand-off Jake Trueman returning from a back injury and playing his first game since the Challenge Cup final loss to St Helens last July while Junior Vasuitoga gets his first opportunity to impress.

Elsewhere, Halifax Panthers host Wakefield Trinity tomorrow in Scott Grix’s testimonial and Leeds Rhinos head to Featherstone Rovers while today Dewsbury entertain Huddersfield.

First-team places still up for grabs at Castleford Tigers