Tigers will not buy way out of trouble – Matterson

With just three wins this year, injury-ravaged Castleford have slipped down to 12th in Engage Super League, leaving some supporters calling for changes at the top due to a lack of investment in their depleted squad.

Matterson said: "There is a bit of flak flying around but people have got to understand this club has been relegated twice. Nearly every club that has been relegated for quite a few years – accept Salford – has gone broke or into administration.

"You can go back to Workington as well as Oldham, Leigh, Halifax and Widnes.

"There's five there and it's a credit to Castleford they haven't. They're not going to spend money that they haven't got."

Castleford dropped out of Super League in 2004 and 2006 but, with no demotion now due to the license system, there are no fears of suffering the same fate again. However, they are not a cash-rich club and do need to earn a new license from 2012.

Matterson knows securing the new planned purpose-built stadium will help do that as well as bring in extra finance to help bolster squad strengthening further down the line.

"The stadium is massively important in the future," said the Australian, now in his fifth season at the West Yorkshire club.

"It's not helping me as a coach now but we're working hard to get to there and it's going tot take time.

"We did a mavellous job to finish seventh last year but we're going through a tough time now.

"Anyone can see with the injuries we've got at the moment but Catalans are behind us and I think everyone would probably say they've got a better squad than us.

"We've just got to dig in and hopefully some people will come back shortly. We'll definitely have two back this week and hopefully another two so that's going to help us."

The latest 24-0 loss at Huddersfield was their eighth already and there is real pressure ahead of Sunday's potentially difficult Carnegie Challenge Cup tie against Championship champions Barrow at The Jungle.

Axed Joe Westerman and Rangi Chase – who were dropped for disciplinary reasons – will return for the visit of Barrow with Matterson insisting the Tigers will not hold back in the knock-out competition.

"We're not resting anyone," he said. "The Challenge Cup is massive and we're having a crack at this. It is certainly one everyone gets to have a go at."