Betfred Super League 2025: Castleford players backing McGuire to make huge progress

Betfred Super League legend Danny McGuire makes his debut as a full-time head coach in 2025 as he looks to guide Castleford Tigers beyond a transitional campaign in 2024.

Under Craig Lingard, the Tigers often competed against more fancied opposition but there were a number of heavy defeats scattered in as they finished the campaign with 15 points in 10th spot.

Now, with McGuire stepping up from the assistant coaching role to lead the team into the new campaign, free-scoring winger Innes Senior believes there’s better things ahead for a side who shipped 30 or more points on 13 occasions last term.

“Magsy taking over as head coach and him bringing in Brett Delaney [as assistant coach] has been massive for us,” the former Huddersfield Giants flyer tells Betfred. “The standards at training have gone up massively overnight, so I think you’ll see a much tougher team out of Cas. I don’t think there’ll be many scorelines where we’re being beaten by 40 points or something like that.

“I think, on the back of last year, everyone’s improved. You look at the signings across the board from every other Super League team, including us as well, I think every team will be stronger than last year. It will be a pretty competitive year.”

Papua New Guinea international hooker Liam Horne adds that the fresh feel around the Mend-A-Hose Jungle has given the place a new sense of buoyancy.

“With the new coaching staff and a couple of new boys in the team, they’ve come in and the energy around the group is going to be different to last year,” says the 26-year-old. “So I’m really excited to see how we go throughout the season.

“There were glimpses throughout last season against big teams. Over at St Helens we got only our second win there in over 20 years, there were a couple of close games against Hull KR, and when you get games like that against big teams it just shows that you can do it.

“This year, having a strong pre-season and new coaching staff, I think we’re going to go well.”

Full-back Tex Hoy’s arrival in April from Hull FC was a catalyst for some improved attacking displays in ‘24, and the ex-Newcastle Knights reserve-grade star says the chance to work under McGuire, a scorer of 247 Super League tries in his playing days, brings an opportunity for the entire Cas squad to excel.

“He took a lot of the reins last year as well but now he’s gone to the more serious role so he’s just been stamping his impression and showing what he thinks works and what doesn’t,” Hoy tells Betfred. “He’s been good, it’s been tough as well, it’s getting the boys going.

“I wasn’t here last pre-season, so I don’t know what the start of the year was like for them but this year it has been a tough pre-season. The new coaching staff has instilled some qualities and the way we want to play, so hopefully this season we’re in good stead and can push forward.”

Cas begin their 2025 season with a West Yorkshire derby clash against Betfred Championship side Bradford Bulls in the Betfred Challenge Cup this Sunday.

They then head to Sewell Group Craven Park for round one of the Super League season, taking on last year’s runners-up Hull KR, with whom McGuire took interim charge of 10 games in 2022.

The Tigers are alongside newly-promoted Wakefield Trinity as the longest-priced team to finish in the top six with Betfred. They’re available at 6/1, while Senior is a 22/1 chance to end the regular season as the league’s top tryscorer.

New signing Judah Rimbu, like Horne a PNG international hooker, is 18/1 to collect the Steve Prescott Man of Steel award, while former Parramatta Eels NRL half-back Daejarn Asi is 25/1.

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