TIGERS DARE TO DREAM BIG
Castleford players vow not to take their foot off the gas as history awaits
HE clearly has thought about the moment but Michael Shenton dare not dwell too long on the prospect of making history and becoming the first captain to lead Castleford Tigers to the League Leaders’ Shield.
The England centre could achieve that tonight when Castleford know simply avoiding defeat against Wakefield Trinity at a near-capacity Wheldon Road will be enough to confirm finishing top for the first time since their inception in 1926.
The Tigers, of course, will want to do it in customary style and give their fans another one of those exhilarating victories to which they have become so accustomed this term.
The only time they have lost at home in the previous 13 months, in fact, was on their last outing there against St Helens a fortnight ago, something they are keen to quickly address.
They responded to that setback with an impressive 23-4 win at Salford Red Devils on Friday which already confirmed a home semi-final to come even with five Super 8s fixtures remaining.
Shenton sat the game out but there was never any question he would miss this evening’s mouthwatering fare – a derby against their local rivals with silverware awaiting.
“I’ve had a bit of a lower back problem that I’ve had for a while and I needed a little bit of treatment,” he told
“The Salford game came a little too soon but we made the right call given we’re quite healthy squad-wise at the minute and, also, I didn’t want to miss this one (Wakefield). I wanted to be fit and ready for this game back at home.
“It’s massive motivation to get it (the Leaders’ Shield) done here but also just to get it off our back; we’re nearly there and we want to now get it signed, sealed and delivered so we can start thinking about the rest of the season.
“It is a huge achievement and we will enjoy it but then focus on what’s coming up.
“We know how desperate Wakefield will be, though, and they’ll want to spoil the party.”
As someone who came through the Academy ranks at Castleford and has made approaching 300 appearances for them, Shenton has already long been endeared to their faithful.
However, he is now set to do what even their greatest legends – players of such ilk as Mal Reilly, Alan Hardisty and John Joyner – all failed to achieve; lead them to the very top of the division by season’s end.
“It would be incredible to do it,” conceded the player, whose only previous trophies with the club came from the National League One Grand Final in 2005 and again two years later, having both times stuck by Castleford following traumatic relegations.
Rarely has the club itself even enjoyed silverware given they have only lifted the Challenge Cup on four occasions, the last of which was under Reilly and with Joyner as captain in 1986.
There was a Regal Trophy win in 1994 but this imminent feat will clearly trump that.
Shenton added: “It’s something you dream of especially as a Cas fan.
“To be the captain and part of lifting the Shield will be amazing. But I don’t want to think about it too much as I don’t want to get carried away.
“It will be a massive achievement for us as a team and as a club as well as for all the people that have stood by us.
“This will be a bit of reward for that and it should be a special evening but we just want to focus on making more improvements.
“There’s some time off after this game due to Wembley (Castleford next play at Huddersfield on September 1) and then we’ll be concentrating in training on getting better still for the business end of the season.”
It would be anti-climatic if Castleford did suffer a surprise defeat but Trinity are striving for a semi-final place themselves and reclaimed fourth spot with their best performance of the season, a ruthless 38-6 destruction of Leeds Rhinos a week ago.
Shenton, who has spent his entire career at Wheldon Road aside from two years with St Helens in 2011 and 2o12, conceded: “It will be a tough game. I watched them against Leeds and they made a real statement in that match.
“They’ve talked about their season not dieing out and that proved it; they are in a great spot in fourth. The last time we played Wakefield they were the better side in the first half and we know we have to be on our game.”
Not only now but from hereon in, too. For all that surging to the League Leaders’ Shield is worthy of acclaim, pushing on to become champions as Grand Final winners is the prize Castleford truly have their sights on.