COACH : Gary Mercer

Picture by Scott Freeman Photography

3 Paul Mellor

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D.O.B. 21.8.74

Paul joined the Tigers ahead of the 2003 campaign from the Cronulla Sharks after being a consistent performer in Australia's NRL competition over a number of years.

His first season last year was delayed due to injury but once he had overcome that he settled into the Tigers line up, showing the form that had earnt him a big reputation Down Under.

Paul is a big strong centre with a good turn of speed whose size means that he can also slot into the second-row when called upon. He represented New South Wales as a junior player starting his professional career with Souths.

He had a brief spell with Sydney City before switching to Canterbury Bulldogs and then on to the Sharks

Picture by Scott Freeman Photography

D.O.B. 10.8.71

A great capture for the Tigers for 2004, Paul has returned much closer to his roots to continue what has been a glittering career in the game of rugby league.

A classic centre, Paul has won a host of honours in that career, which has taken him from Featherstone to Bradford and then on to St Helens. Pontefract born, Paul made his debut for Gt Britain as an 18-year old, that being one of over forty 'caps' he has won representing both his county and country.

Paul spent 5 years at Featherstone, who he joined from local amateur club Travellers, before a £245,000 move to Bradford. Just two years later he was to command a bigger fee when he joined Saints in a £500,000 deal, with Bradford receiving £250,000 and three players, Sonny Nickle, Paul Loughlin and Bernard Dwyer.

In his long career Paul has won a host of personal honours with successful appearances in Challenge Cup, Grand Final and Championship finals, but he is hungry for more success with the Tigers.

Picture by Scott Freeman Photography

D.O.B. 13.2.79

New to Super League, Sean has signed for the Tigers ahead of the 2004 campaign from Newcastle Knights after spending six seasons with one of the NRL's top outfits.

A stand off or loose forward, Sean has partnered one of the world's best in Andrew Johns in his last couple of years at the Knights but he is keen to establish himself in his own right with the Tigers.

At 24 years-of-age, Sean was keen to take this chance in Super League whilst still relatively young and big things are expected of the play making off half this year, who has been appointed as the Tigers vice captain. Hailing from New South Wales, Sean represented the Country Origin teams in 2001 and 2002.

9 Wayne Godwin

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D.O.B. 13.3.82

Another very highly promising youngster who has graduated through the Tigers ranks, Wayne won a full time squad place for 2002 and cemented his place last year with some lively performances.

Wayne has a great turn of pace from acting half and is a good support player. He works hard on his defence and after being handed the number 9 shirt for the 2004 season he made a great start to the campaign as the Tigers man of the match in the Tetley's Festive challenge clash with Leeds.

23 Michael Smith

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D.O.B. 10.5.76

In his second spell at the Tigers, Michael is a big favourite with the Castleford fans and his form was a strong as ever throughout 2003.

Since his return to the Jungle for he has been one of the clubs most impressive and consistent performers. A regular in the Opta team of the week over the past two seasons, Michael was rewarded with a place in the 2002 Super League Dream Team.

The big strong Kiwi back rower first joined Cas in 1998 from the Canterbury Bulldogs and had an impressive term at the club. Discussions took place to extend his stay but after that first year Mike opted to join Hull. However things didn't work out and he spent some time out of the game before joining York in the NFP, which preceded his return to Castleford.

Michael capped a tremendous 2002 campaign with a call up to the New Zealand squad and he made his test debut when the Kiwis played France.

D.O.B. 23.8.73

Another top quality Australian pack star to switch from Hull FC, Sean is seen as a natural replacement for Dale Fritz with his tremendous defence and a very good wide running game.

His size will also add some presence to the Tigers pack after two very successful years with Hull. He won the clubs Player of the Year award in 2002 and in both of his years in Super League he has been very prominent in the Opta tackling statistics.

Sean joined Hull from the Cronulla Sharks, his only senior club back home, where he won State of Origin honours for the Super League New South Wales side in 1997.

  Picture by Scott Freeman Photography

D.O.B. 20.11.79

When Danny Orr indicated that last season was to be his last with the Tigers, coach Graham Steadman had little hesitation in handing the Tigers captaincy armband to, then 24-year-old, Ryan Hudson. And he didn't let his coach down. An inspirational performer and player, at either hooker or loose forward, Ryan sets a tremendous example and it was no surprise when he was confirmed as the club captain for the current campaign.

Ryan had already shown those leadership qualities at the highest level with a tremendous performance in skippering Yorkshire to their emphatic 2003 'Origin' victory. His form last year won him a place in David Waite's GB squad for the test series but he was unable to break through into the final seventeen, something that will surely be remedied sooner rather than later.

Ryan has though won international honours, captaining the England Under-21 side on their successful tour to South Africa in 2001 and in 2002 adding England 'A' honours, playing against the New Zealand tourists and touring Tonga and Fiji.

A Stanley Rangers product, Ryan turned professional with Huddersfield before a switch to the Wakefield Wildcats. His career really took off at Belle Vue with an outstanding Super League VI campaign where he was a key figure in the Wildcats battle against relegation.

Ryan joined the Tigers ahead of the 2002 campaign and quickly became a firm favourite of the fans with his all-action style of play.

5 Darren Rogers

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D.O.B. 6.5.74

Originally a product of Stanley Rangers ARL, Darren turned professional with Dewsbury, where he won GB Academy honours, and was soon snapped up by Salford.

A consistent try scorer for the City Reds, Darren has continued in the same vein for the Tigers, topping their touchdown charts on a regular basis. He was again amongst the clubs leading scorer last season and is currently the leading try scorer in the clubs squad by some margin with 80 touchdowns for the Tigers at the end of the 2003 season, and a target of reaching the century mark in 2004.

Darren's consistency has been recognised at international level with England honours that include taking part in the 2000 World Cup squad.

15 Nathan Sykes

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D.O.B. 8.9.74

A cornerstone of the Castleford pack for some years, Nathan is the clubs longest serving player and of the current squad has made the most appearances. The prop forward celebrated a well-deserved testimonial in 2002 and whilst it might be 13 years since he joined the Tigers, he still has plenty of rugby in him.

Always a consistent performer, on matchday Nathan takes the ball up and grinds out the hard yards for eighty minutes. Nathan has also fulfilled the predictions made when he was a standout junior player in winning Great Britain Academy, Under-21 and full England honours and has come close to GB selection.

Signed by Cas from Moldgreen ARL when Nathan opted for the Tigers in the face of strong competition from the other top clubs of the day

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D.O.B. 25.5.75

Another new face at the Jungle this year, Ryan has joined the Tigers after one year as skipper of the Widnes Vikings, which followed a highly successful six seasons with the Leeds Rhinos.

An influential leader with a good kicking game, the scrum half started his career with his local side the Dewsbury Moor amateur club before first turning professional with Sheffield Eagles. From the Eagles he joined the Rhinos and was a member of Leeds' Challenge Cup winning side that defeated London in the 1999 final.

Ryan won Great Britain honours in 2002 when he also captained Yorkshire in the Origin match, and he has also won GB under-21 'caps' as well as representing Ireland in the 2000 World Cup

8 Craig Greenhill

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D.O.B. 14.2.72

Released by Hull FC to meet their quota numbers, the Tigers moved quickly to bring Craig to the Jungle to add some beef to their pack.

But 'beef' is by no means the only part of Craig's game with a big work rate on both defence and making the hard yards key attributes. The tough Aussie has proved himself on both sides of the world and was rated by many as one of the top prop forwards in the 2003 Tetley's Super League.

Craig was Hull's Player of the Year winner last year in what was his second at the club, after switching from the Penrith Panthers, 'Knuckles' has also had spells back home with Wynum-Manley and the Cronulla Sharks. He represented the Australian Super League test side and has made six appearances for the Queensland State of Origin team.

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D.O.B. 25.6.73

Francis returned to the Tigers in 2003 after a three-season absence and added great value to the squad with his ability to play, and play well, in a number of positions. Injuries restricted his appearances but he won another contract and made a big impression in the pre-season Tetley's Festive Challenge match.

A much-travelled player, Francis initially joined the Tigers from Oldham after earlier spells with Leeds, Warrington and Featherstone. At the end of that first stint at the Jungle Francis picked up England honours before making the move to Wakefield. His spell at Belle Vue lasted just the one-year before Francis made the move to Salford where he spent two seasons.

With an opportunity opening up following the departure of Danny Orr and Wayne Bartrim, Francis's ability as a good goal kicker can only strengthen his case for a first team place.

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D.O.B. 3.10.83

After making his Super League debut in 2002 Tommy established himself as a player of real promise in 2003.

With injuries biting hard he probably figured in more games than would have been expected last season but Tommy took his chance well slotting in at both full back and on the wing.

A graduate of the Tigers Academy, Tommy has a good turn of pace and is very strong on defence. Has represented the Yorkshire Academy side and won a place in the 2002 English Academy squad for the series with the Australian Schoolboys.

18 Jamie Thackray

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D.O.B. 30.9.79

Another player who will be looking for an injury free 2004. Jamie arrived at the Jungle ahead of the 2003 campaign and had wretched luck with injuries.

Signed up from the Halifax Blue Sox, Jamie is a tough hard running second row forward who quickly made a big impression with Tigers fans in those matches that he did play in and, like Paul Jackson, he will be a big asset if he can have better luck this year.

Jamie joined his first professional club, the Hunslet Hawks, from local BARLA side Oulton Raiders and his work rate soon had Super League clubs showing an interest. He appeared in the 1999 NFP Grand Final with the Hawks before Halifax took him to the Shay in 2000.

10 Andy Lynch

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D.O.B. 20.10.79

Andy established himself as one of the leading young prop forwards in 2003 and deservedly won a place in Super League's 'Dream Team'. Andy uses his size to good effect and takes a lot of stopping, and if he breaks into space he has quite a deceptive turn of pace. It was no surprise when he won the Tigers 2003 Player of the Year award.

On the representative front, Andy won a place in the England 'A' set up for the match against the Kiwis and the South Seas tour at the end of the 2002 season and again in 2003 he was in the England 'A' squad who won the European Nations title. He also came very close to a call up for Great Britain's test series with Australia having impressed when figuring for the Yorkshire side that won the 'Origin' clash last season.

Andy joined Castleford from East Leeds ARL and captained both the Academy and the Alliance sides at the Tigers before his breakthrough into the first team squad in 1999.

1 Damian Gibson

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D.O.B. 14.5.76

Signed for the Tigers ahead of the 2003 campaign from the Salford City Reds and impressed in his first season, playing in both the three quarters or at full back.

Damian came over to England from his native Australia in 1997, joining Leeds from the North Queensland Cowboys, and had an impressive campaign at Headingley. Surprisingly the Rhinos released the speedy full back and he moved to Halifax where he again impressed.

His next move took him to the Willows for the 2002 campaign but following the City Reds drop into the National League the Tigers moved quickly to sign Damian. Qualified through his grandmother, Damian has represented Wales at international level, including last season's European Nations competition

11 Lee Harland

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D.O.B 4.9.73

Lee has been with the Tigers for 8 years now after signing from Halifax in a player-exchange deal. He has been a consistent performer in the Tigers back row over those years.

Strong on both attack and defence, Lee first turned professional with Leeds, signing from Drighlington ARL club, before his switch to Halifax but has found his best form in his time with the Tigers.

A member of Yorkshire's 2003 'Origin' winning side, in the past Lee has also won full England honours against France and three GB Under 21 caps.

17 Paul Jackson

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D.O.B. 29.9.78

Paul will be looking for a big year in 2004 after missing so much of Super League VIII, his first season at the Tigers, with a shoulder injury. Paul joined the Tigers from near neighbours Wakefield Wildcats but injury at Bradford last May ended his campaign prematurely.

A hard working eighty-minute prop, Paul had four years at Belle Vue where he was something of an unsung hero, but his work rate was really appreciated by the Wildcats fans.

His first professional club was Huddersfield who he joined from Stanningley ARL and moved to Wakefield from the Giants.

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D.O.B. 22.7.83

Young loose forward who followed his father in making the Tigers first team. Richard has had a couple of years in the senior squad and acquitted himself well.

Starting 2004 on loan to Featherstone Rovers, a move that coach Graham Steadman feels will aid his development, but Richard remains a Castleford Tiger who will be recalled if injuries necessitate.

Richard is a product of Normanton junior rugby.

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D.O.B. 22.11.82

A new signing for the Tigers for the 2004 campaign and big things are predicted for this young capture who can operate at either centre or loose forward.

Ryan joined the Tigers from Halifax, where he was voted Players Player of the Year last season, a campaign which ended with his call up for the England 'A' side that won the European Nations competition.

Oldham born, Ryan joined Halifax from Saddleworth ARL, having won representative honours with BARLA and the Lancashire Schools.