RUGBY LEAGUE
LUKE GALE reckons that Castleford are playing with targets on their backs these days – but says his Tigers must adapt to their new status.
Daryl Powell’s side roared to the top of Super League after four matches, with scrum- half Gale central to a thrilling style of play.
But they lost at Salford last Sunday, as the Red Devils became the first team to shut down the Tigers’ much-lauded attack.
England international Gale knows teams will continue working on ways to nullify his side’s expansive game – starting with Catalans Dragons’ visit today.
And Gale said: “Our left edge is our dominant side and teams come to shut me down.
“That’s when our right edge can take control – if they’ve got too many numbers marking me, there have to be shortages somewhere.
“We just weren’t good enough across the board against Salford.Salford It was just one of those days when nothing came off and everything we did was poor.
“We started the season really solidly but this was a blip and we didn’t perform how we wanted to.
“Fair play to Salford, they handled the conditions well and played a tougher game.
“But it’s always disappointing to lose by a drop goal and we’re looking for a big game (against Catalans) to bounce back.
“We’d almost had it a bit easy in those first four games because everything had come off for us.
“It didn’t at Salford, and too many of our key p l a y e r s , myself included, were poor.
“Probably six of our most pivotal players didn’t have good games, and when that happens you’re always going to struggle.”
Gale insists the Tigers are not overanalysing that 13-12 defeat ahead of today’s clash at the Jungle. He added: “It’s not the end of the world,world we’ve been beaten once by one point.
“It was just disappointing the manner in which we lost, but we’ve trained hard and have looked to fix up a few wrongs.
“We’re had a really good start to the season and then a bit of a blip.
“We were almost waiting for that blip, but we’ve been beaten now, so that’s out of the way and we can refocus.
“We’re really happy with start we’ve made overall.
“If you had offered four wins from five at the start of the year I think any team in the league would have bitten your hand off.
“With Catalans you don’t really know what side is going to turn up.
“They’re a big, physical side and their half-backs are playing really well.
“Greg Bird is massive for them, and he won’t be taking part because he’s injured. But they’re a still good team and it will be a challenge for us.”