DANNY McGuire hopes to get Super League’s tame Tigers roaring again in his first head coaching job.
The rugby league legend will take Castleford back to Hull KR, where he was assistant, on the opening day of the 2025 season.
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But evolution rather than revolution will be the key at Wheldon Road after Cas secured Grade A status in strategic partner IMG’s way of deciding top flight clubs.
And a bit of the magic he showed on the pitch at Leeds Rhinos – where he heads in round three on Sunday, March 2 after his first home game against St Helens – may be passed on to his half-backs.
McGuire, who replaced Craig Lingard after being his number two, said: “Being number one, you can make decisions and do thing who you want to do them.
“That’s the tough thing as an assistant, you may do things slightly differently but you’ve got to back the head coach.
“We just want to improve – at times last season, we were probably too easy to be scored against. We need to be a bit tougher mentally.
“At half-back, where I played, we’ve Rowan Milnes and young Jensen Windley, who I love working with.
“That’s what gets me out of bed in a morning, the chance to help players improve and get better. The lads have handled the change of coach really well and my messages are getting across.
“And the club’s got ambitions to grow and do things better. I want to be a part of that and hopefully move us forward.”
McGuire, Super League’s record try scorer with 247 when he retired, may be 41-years-old but he showed he still has it by touching down twice on the Headingley pitch he graced in the cross-code 745 Game, which raised funds for motor neurone disease charities.
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And expect him to play again is there is a repeat, with number two Brett Delaney likely to hope for another assist like he produced for the first.
McGuire, who made a legendary partnership with the late, great Rob Burrow, added: “It was made in Castleford. It was the first thing we showed on video!
“Everyone who played has already spoken about putting their hand up again. The people out there were a mark of who we represented – Rob, Doddie Weir and Ed Slater.”
