Quartet’s return gives Castleford coach Lee Radford a selection ‘headache’ but new signing Ryan Hampshire out with broken hand

Tigers have been hit by a series of injury blows this season and full-back Ryan Hampshire has joined their casualty list just a week after signing for the club.

However, some of Castleford’s long-term casualties are now back in training and pushing for a place in the side to face Leeds Rhinos in Saturday’s Challenge Cup tie at Headingley.

“Hopefully we’ll have a few back,” said Radford, whose side have won just one of their opening six games. “For the first time in a few weeks we will have some decisions to make, which is obviously a plus.

“Niall Evalds, Nathan Massey, Adam Milner and Liam Watts have all got a chance and it’ll be good to get some able bodies back in the squad.”

Evalds has missed three games because of a hamstring issue, Massey suffered a hip injury in Super League round one, last month and Milner (back) has yet to play this season.

Alex Sutcliffe, who was a member of Rhinos’ 2020 Challenge Cup final-winning side, was rested for last week’s game at Wigan Warriors, because of a knee injury, but Radford expects him to be available on Saturday.

“The quicker they hit the ground running, the better for everybody,” added Radford of his returning players.

“It will be important to get them back.

“Offensively, we have looked tidy these last three or four weeks, but defence has been our real issue.

“To defend how we want to defend in the middle, we need people like Milner, with the leg speed he has and Massey and Watts as well.

“That’s definitely an area we have got to improve in and I’m sure they’ll help us do that.”

The coach confirmed Hampshire, who played for Castleford in 2016 and was a free-agent after leaving Wakefield Trinity at the end of last season, would have been in contention for Saturday, if fit.

He played in Castleford’s reserves last week and coach Radford confirmed: “He has broken his hand.

“He is devastated, it’s probably going to be six-eight weeks.

“He sees a specialist [today] and if we can get him back earlier it will be a massive boost.”