Hull FC's Watts is back on familiar ground at Castleford Tigers

Not the game itself – the thunderous prop will be expected to produce his usual all-action style to help cut Super League frontrunners Castleford Tigers down to size.

However, before and after what could be a fascinating tussle between two of the competition’s leading sides, Watts has little in the way of commuting given he still resides in his hometown of Castleford.

While the majority of his team-mates head down the M62, the 26-year-old can rest up before kick-off.

“It’s not as easy as walking down but I’m not far off,” he told The Yorkshire Post. “I only live about a mile from the ground.

“When I was a kid, though, and used to play down there, literally I’d come out of my street turn right and I was on Wheldon Lane.

“It’d take me two minutes. I’d get out of bed at five to eight and get there for eight o’clock!

“Nowadays, when we’re away and go past Castleford we get picked up at the Singing Chocker which is just past Xscape but for this Castleford fixture I’ll always meet them at the ground.

“I’ll get there, park up, have a steady trot across the training pitch and it’s all still quiet so I’ll wander into the sheds.

“I’ll have a walk around the pitch, sit down in the dugout, wait for our lads to arrive, say ‘hello’ to people like Nathan Massey, Oli Holmes and Zak (Hardaker).

“There’ll be a laugh and a joke but once we’re back in the sheds it’s heads switched on and ready.”

And if another win comes Hull’s way – they have beaten Castleford both times they have met this term – will he head back towards Xscape for a celebratory drink among all the disgruntled Tigers fans?

Watts, who started his career in Castleford’s reserve team but left for Hull KR before making his senior debut, replied: “Yes, definitely. I’m sure I’ll be nipping up there for a quick one.

“I did it the other Sunday when we beat them in the Challenge Cup. I thought ‘Oooh, I’ll just call down and see all of my mates.

“But there was nobody out so I had to go home!

“I know most of the Cas boys having played with them or against them and still know a lot of the staff down there.

“It’s always nice to go back down. Times have changed a bit since I was there but you never lose that feeling when you walk into those changing rooms.

“They’ve not changed since I was a kid and generations before that, too. It’s a good old ground. I love playing there. A lot my mates are Cas fans.

“And when I’m stood on that back line and the fans are all giving me grief, I often look around and see it’s one of my mates.

“I’m left saying ‘Are you being serious…!?’ After the game it’s all laughs and jokes. I’m two-nil up this season so it’s not too bad.”

Hull beat Castleford in their league meeting at KCOM Stadium – despite Watts being sent off for a first half high tackle on England scrum-half Luke Gale – and repeated the trick in that recent Challenge Cup quarter-final.

So, with prolific Castleford winning 16 of their 19 league games so far and averaging almost 35 points per game, what has Hull’s secret been?

“We’ve started really well both times and they’ll be aiming a lot of their emphasis in trying to nullify our start on Friday,” said Watts.

“In the Challenge Cup game, with that cut-out pass from Benny Roberts early on, if it doesn’t go into the hands of Carlos (Tuimavave who intercepted for a 90m try) they probably score and it swings the other way.

“We had that the other year at Widnes. Instead of being 20-0 up we were 20-0 down in minutes.

“But I reckon it will be a great spectacle again and I’m really looking forward to it. They’re seven points in front of us so if we get them tomorrow we’re five off with a few more games to try catch them as quick as we can for the League Leaders’.”

Hull have given former Halifax centre Nick Rawsthorne a new two-year contract,

Wakefield Trinity centre Ashley Gibson, 30, has joined Bradford Bulls on a deal until the end of 2018.