'Highly impressive': Former Castleford Tigers coach Ryan Carr secures NRL return
Former Castleford Tigers boss Ryan Carr has secured a speedy return to coaching after joining Wests Tigers as an assistant.
Carr left Wheldon Road in August shortly after stepping away from his role, with the Tigers citing "personal reasons".
The 38-year-old returned to Australia and is now preparing for a fresh challenge in the NRL.
Carr, who enjoyed three years with St George Illawarra Dragons before taking over at Castleford, will assist Benji Marshall at Wests Tigers, linking up with ex-Hull FC boss Brett Hodgson and former England international Chris Heighington on the coaching staff.
"Ryan brings a wealth of knowledge and was highly impressive throughout the interview process," said Marshall.
"What appealed to me was his ability to connect to players and the way he thinks about his footy.
"He will be our defence coach and I'm excited about what he will bring to the team."
Carr provided fresh optimism when he took the reins at Castleford at the end of 2025 but the Tigers endured another challenging campaign, culminating in his departure just one season into a three-year deal.
Castleford lost 14 of Carr's 21 Super League games in charge, conceding 658 points in the process.
The Tigers have since appointed Paul Rowley, who became the club's seventh head coach in five years last month.
Rowley has been tasked with reviving Castleford's fortunes after seven years without play-off rugby.
The former Salford Red Devils and St Helens boss inherits a team featuring a host of new signings, including ex-St George trio Damien Cook, Mat Feagai and Tyrell Sloan.
The Rowley era begins in earnest this week with the start of pre-season training at Wheldon Road.