'It's a miracle': Castleford Tigers boss hoping for more magic in top-six decider at Leeds Rhinos

Seventh-placed Tigers close their regular Betfred Super League campaign away to Leeds Rhinos, who are a point ahead of them in sixth, this afternoon (Saturday).

The winners travel to either Catalans Dragons or Huddersfield Giants in the opening round of the play-offs next weekend, but the beaten side’s season will end.

“At the beginning of the year I wanted to move the club in a better direction by finishing in the six, because they’ve not been there the last couple of years,” Radford, who took charge in pre-season said.

“With what we’ve had thrown at us in terms of player availability and suspensions throughout the year, I think it’s a miracle we are where we are and we’re still in with a shout on the last day of the season.”

Tigers have beaten Rhinos twice this year, including a Challenge Cup tie at Headingley in March, but Leeds are on a seven-game winning run on their own turf and will go into the game as favourites.

Radford said: “It’s massive, probably one of the biggest challenges I have faced in my coaching career, with the situation we are in, where we’re at, what’s at stake and the magnitude of the game.”

The coach described Castleford’s performance in Monday’s 50-10 home loss to Salford Red Devils as “horrible” and admitted improving on that is the minimum he is hoping for.

A knee injury suffered by half-back Danny Richardson and suspension for prop Liam Watts have made the task harder, but Radford stressed: “I have got one stipulation, that we don’t back Monday’s performance up with another one like it.

“No matter how we go down, let’s go down swinging. It’s really, really important we show some fight.”

Leeds Rhinos: from Sutcliffe, Handley, Austin, Sezer, Oledzki, Leeming, Prior, Bentley, Martin, Tetevano, Dwyer, Myler, C Smith, Briscoe, Gannon, Walters, O’Connor, Donaldson, Tindall, Sinfield, Hardaker.

Castleford Tigers: from Olpherts, Mamo, Faraimo, McShane, Lawler, Milner, Westerman, Massey, Griffin, Fonua, Sutcliffe, D Smith, Eden, Matagi, Martin, Hall, Robb, Qareqare, Mellor.

Referee: Ben Thaler (Wakefield).

Kick-off: Saturday, 3pm.