Powell confident Castleford Tigers can deal with injury losses

Prolific winger Greg Eden - Super League’s top try-scorer last season - and Joe Wardle, the club’s winter recruit from NRL side Newcastle Knights, are both sidelined with similar injuries.

They miss Thursday’s televised game at Hull KR and Powell said: “They have grade 2 hamstring tears which is generally around four weeks out so it's obviously pretty disappointing injuries for both players.

"They've both really struggled with injury at the start of this season

and they are not what you want at this time of year.

“But it's part and parcel of the game and we've got a deep squad for a reason.”

After Saturday’s win over Hull FC, they are replaced in the 19-man squad by James Clare and ex-Hull KR forward Matt Cook while Jy Hitchcox has also dropped out with Jake Trueman coming in.

Winger Clare, 26, rejoined the club from Leigh Centurions last December and is now set for his first league appearance for Castleford since 2015.

"I've been watching him play for Halifax over the last couple of weeks

and he's been improving and going really well,” said Powell.“He potentially gets an opportunity this week.”

On the Hull win, their second success from three matches this term, the coach added: "It was a key game for us. If you lose that game you're under a fair bit of pressure going into this one.

"It was a really important game for us to win and we have responded

well over the last couple of weeks to what happened to us in round

one. To get the two points was really pleasing.”