Pride in the shirt vital for Rhinos – McGuire
CASTLEFORD TIGERS head coach Daryl Powell is expecting more from his League Leaders’ Shield winners – which is ominous news for Leeds Rhinos and the rest of the competition.
Although they confirmed top spot just three games into the Super 8s, they have no intention of now slackening off as they seek to push on and reach a maiden Grand Final.
Castleford host second-placed Leeds tonight who they have already beaten three times this term and have not lost to since April 2015.
But Powell sees challenging their West Yorkshire rivals again plus all their remaining Super 8s games as perfect preparation for a potential future Old Trafford date.
“We have got Wigan next week and then Hull and we could easily come up against any two of those in the semi-final and final,” he said.
“They are really important games for us, one for momentum and two for playing against teams we are going to meet down the track and feeling confident.
“We are feeling confident at the moment, but in the last couple of games we’ve not been right at our best and this is a good time to start hitting our best form.”
Castleford rallied from 12-6 behind to win 24-16 at Huddersfield Giants last week but Powell admitted: “I thought we were a bit off.
“We were not at our best but we found a way to win and a couple of moments of class in the second half got us the win.
“A lot of improvement is needed and it is a big game for us this week. Playing against Leeds always is.
“We have had some pretty tidy performances against them recently and we will need another one, a really good effort.
“The last two against Leeds have been tough games; we’ve been able to come out on top, but there’s not been much between the teams for large parts of the match.
“Leeds have plenty of reasons to want to finish the season well and they are in the fight.
“I think they are a dangerous team and will challenge us so we need to be at our best.”
With that in mind, Powell has brought back rested England second-row Mike McMeeken and prop Grant Millington. LEEDS RHINOS captain Danny McGuire has demanded his side finally deliver an 80-minute performance against Castleford Tigers tonight – or their wretched record will continue.
If they can prosper against the runaway leaders, second place and a home semi-final will be confirmed.
However, Leeds have lost their last seven matches against their revitalised derby rivals despite, at times, threatening to bring a halt to that dismal sequence.
“I think we’ve played well against them for about 60 minutes this year in three games,” McGuire explained.
“We have had a couple of decent halves or 30-minute stints – at the Magic Weekend and in the home game – but we haven’t put a full-80 in against them and really taken it to the wire.
“That’s what Cas have been very good at this year; they have been really clinical. I think it is really important for us – especially for the next month and what we have got in front of us – that we go there and play well.”
McGuire hopes to sign off his remarkable Headingley career as a Grand Final winner again before joining Hull KR in 2018, but knows Castleford are the biggest threat to ruining that dream.
Even though they are already secure of first place, the ex-England stand-off does not feel they will ease up this evening especially given how well he knows their coach Daryl Powell, once McGuire’s boss at Rhinos.
“Daryl will be heavily-motivated having played and coached with us and it is a local derby,” said McGuire.
“Their fans are passionate and I have never seen as many Cas shirts around near where I live.
“They are rightly proud. We have got to make sure we go there and wear our shirt with pride and put in a good performance.”