Powell is left bemused by Wane rhetoric

Wane has said the West Yorkshire club, Super League’s surprise package in 2014, are “bordering on being over-confident” and some comments from Wheldon Road “border on disrespectful”.

Wigan, of course, are the holders and reigning league champions but Powell – who has created a highly-professional culture at Castleford since taking charge a little over a year ago – is bemused by the nature of such rhetoric.

“I don’t know where that comes from,” he said.

“There’s been nothing said by anybody within our group.

“We are playing well and I think we should be confident, but we know we’ve got a tough challenge on our hands, going away to Wigan.

“They are the holders, they won everything last year so we recognise it will be tough, but if you can’t be confident in sport what chance do you have? I’m not too fussed about that.”

Admittedly, Castleford defeated Wigan at Wheldon Road earlier this season, won on their last trip to the DW Stadium and have played with real style this year so they have no reason to be daunted.

“Maybe he’s just trying to fire up his own players,” added Powell, who won the Challenge Cup as a player with Leeds Rhinos in 1999.

“They will be fired up anyway, so I don’t see it as an issue.

“We’ve done reasonably well so far and the challenge is to maintain it, there’s no doubt about that.

“Shaun Wane has made some reference to that, about maintaining it.

“Time will tell whether we can or not, but people have been saying that most of the year.”