This article details the Castleford Tigers rugby league football club's 2012 season. This is the seventeenth season of the Super League era.
Season review
March 2011
Castleford Tigers started planning for 2012 with the re-signing of the Tigers' longest serving player Craig Huby. In March he put pen to paper on 3-year extension with the club, taking him past 10 years service. Also in August the RFL granted from May 2012 a testimonial year for Craig Huby.
July 2011
Castleford confirmed Head Coach Terry Matterson would be leaving the club at the end of the 2011 season after being at the club for 6 years. On the same day, Cas confirmed that goal kicking Winger / centre Kirk Dixon put pen to paper on 3-year extension which would see him at the club until the end of 2014 season. In the same week, Cas also signed new deals with Half back Danny Orr who added a 1-year extension with the club and former England Academy International Centre / Second Row Jordan Thompson who signed a new 2-year deal that would see him at the Tigers until the end of the 2013 season.
August 2011
Cas signed Second Row Stuart Jones on a new 1-year deal with the club. Also following Jones in signing a new 1-year deal was Scottish international Prop Forward Paul Jackson. On the same day as Jackson's new deal, he was joined by USA International and former Castleford Academy prop Nathan Massey who signed a new 2-year extension with the club. However, fans favourite Dean Widders announced he will be retiring from the game of rugby league and return home to Australia to take up a Community Coaching Role with NRL side Gold Coast Titans alongside fellow Australian Indigenous player Preston Campbell.
September 2011
Castleford announced the signing of Leigh Centurions Head Coach Ian Millward as the replacement of Tigers Head Coach Terry Matterson. Millward took St Helens R.F.C. to 2 Super League Grand Final wins and 2 Challenge Cup Final wins along with 1 World Club Challenge win in his 5 years at Saints. However, in September, Castleford's Samoan International Centre Willie Isa announced he would be joining Super League newcomers Widnes Vikings on a 2-year deal. Then, a few days after, young Tigers utility back Greg Eden confirmed signing a new 2-year deal with Castleford's local rivals Huddersfield Giants. The club also confirmed that Assistant Coach Andy Hay would be leaving the club at the end of the season, and a few weeks later Hull F.C. confirmed Andy Hay as one of their 2 new assistant coaches. On 27 September, Castleford called a press conference to announce the signing of a new and improved deal for the 2011 Man of Steel and 2011 Albert Goldthorpe Medal winning England International player Rangi Chase; his new extension would see him at the club until the end of 2015. Ian Millward confirmed his first new signing of the 2012 season was Centre / winger Josh Griffin from Wakefield Trinity Wildcats on a 1-year deal and on the same day Richard Owen signed a new 4-year deal with the club that would see him stay until the end of 2015 season.
October 2011
At a 'Meet the Coach' club event, Millward confirmed the signing of Leigh Centurions prop Stephen Nash on a two-year deal. Cas confirmed a few changes to the club's backroom staff with long serving physiotherapist Russell Jones to leave the club after 11 years. Shortly after this, Millward signed two new backroom staff for the club: new Athletic Performance Director James Parkes, who is a former rugby union footballer for Leeds Carnegie, and new Head of Physiotherapy Ben Stirling, who was the Head Physio of Wales Rugby League. Tigers Hooker and former England Academy Captain Adam Milner signed a new three-year extension with the club. Castleford handed three Academy players (prop Charlie Martin, winger James Clare & half-back Ben Johnson) full-time contracts. Castleford also announced a new five-year deal for hooker Daryl Clark.
November 2011
Castleford confirmed the release of former Great Britain International Prop Nick Fozzard & former England International Winger Martin Aspinwall who later went on to join Super League side Hull F.C. on a 1-year deal. A few weeks after, Dewsbury Rams announced the signing of Fozzard. Tigers Academy Second Row Billy Harris also joined Dewsbury on a season long loan to gain some first team experience, in addition to his Academy teammate Academy James Clare who joined the Rams on a dual-contract loan for the 2012 season. Ryan Brierley would also go out on a dual-contract loan with Leigh Centurions. Millward confirmed his Assistant Coach as ex-Castleford fullback Stuart Donlan on a 3-year deal with the club. The Tigers confirmed the signing of Canterbury Bulldogs Second Row / Prop Grant Millington, and also the season long loan signing of Warrington Wolves Second Row Lee Mitchell for the 2012 season with the option of making the deal permanent for 2013 season. Tigers Second Row Oliver Holmes signed a new 3-year deal, following in the footsteps of fellow Tigers Academy graduates Owen, Milner, Clark, Huby and Thompson in signing new long-term deals with the club.
The Tigers beat Salford City Reds 24–10 in Round 1, Castleford's tries came from Richard Owen who scored 2, Josh Griffin and hooker Adam Milner. Kirk Dixon kicked all 4 goals. The Tigers put up a good fight against an excellent Bradford Bulls side but lost 20–12. Owen scored a try and so did winger Griffin, and Dixon kicked both goals. Castleford travelled to the south of France to face the Catalans Dragons - although the Tigers played well and took an early lead, they eventually succumbed to a good fightback and lost 28–20 with Griffin getting a hat-trick and Joe Arundel scoring. Dixon added 2 goals. Challenge Cup holders Wigan Warriors demolished Castleford 46–4 at The Jungle; Griffin crossed for the Tigers' only try and Dixon missed the conversion.
Castleford started June with a 46–32 loss to Bradford Bulls, Jordan Thompson and Nathan Massey both scored tries whilst Rangi Chase and Rhys Williams scored 2 each, Kirk Dixon kicked 4 goals. The Tigers announce that Michael Shenton will be returning to the club on a 4 Year Deal in 2013. The Tigers beat playoff contenders Salford City Reds 34–30 with a try in the final minute to snatch a victory, tries from Nick Youngquest, Jordan Thompson and a hat-trick from Danny Orr helped the Tigers get into a good position before Craig Huby scored the winning try for Castleford. Dixon kicked 3 goals while Huby and Orr also kicked a goal each. Hooker Daryl Clark place a transfer request which was rejected by the board at the Tigers. Castleford went down 40–22 against Super League champions Leeds Rhinos, Paul Jackson scored for his 1st try of the year whilst Huby grabbed a try and centre Brett Ferres scored 2. Orr, Huby and Ryan McGoldrick all kicked a goal each.
Source: superleague.co.uk and BBC Sport. Rules for classification: 1st on competition points; 2nd on match points difference. Competition points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0. (C) Champions; (L)League Leaders' Shield Winners Notes:
^Bradford Bulls deducted 6 points on 25 July 2012 for entering administration[1]