It was dubbed 'the most important season for years' and with good reason too. 2011 was the year where the fate of 14 super league clubs and 3 championship clubs. The tigers have announced the signings of Richard Mathers (Warrington), Nick 'machine' Fozzard (ST Helens), Nick Youngquest(Crusaders), Jacob Emmit (ST Helens), Willie Isa (Melbourne Storm), Martin Aspinwall (Huddersfield) and the returning Danny Orr (Harlequinns). Mathers is the most noticeable Signing as he's won the Grandfinal, World Club Challenge and Challange cup final. Emmit at 22 years of age is set for a great season along with fellow youngster Willie Isa who is brought in as replacement for the recently retired James Evans. Youngquest is set to come into form as he looks to impress. Aspinwall, Orr, and Fozzard add valuable experiance to the youngsters which make up most of the tigers squad.
With the 2011 season beckoning the tigers had announced Metrel as their main sponsership for the 2011 season but for whatever reason it fell through and along came Fesial Nahaboo and his company PROBIZ which made the club an offer "the club couldn't refuse" and later on he gained naming rights for the Cas Ground from The Jungle to the PROBIZ coliseum.
The season was upon us, it was the magic weekend it was rivals vs rivals for all of the teams (unless your Crusaders, Quinns and Catalans) Cas v Wakey is a local rivalry which both sets of fans love to get the bragging rights with Mathers, Emmit and Youngquest looking to impress on their debuts and Rangi looking to find the brilliant form he was in last year. James Child proved why he was a rubbish ref by blowing for a staggering 37 penalties. The game ended 40-20 to the tigers. Wakey (who went into admin) were given a 6 point penalty and look set for a long, hard season. Rangi showed that he's still the man to watch.
The second game saw the tigers first home game of the season against huddersfield giants who came off their shock win over Warrington, but the conditions darn lane were nothing short of terrible, as the teams are read out as you expect Danny Brough gets a mixed reaction from the Cas faithful, it's a bitterly cold and frosty night and the tigers seemed to take to them better than the giants did, in front of a just under 6k fans (which is a good turnout to say hudds fans don't travel much (NO OFFENCE MEANT!) and the game was on sky. Youngquest proved yet again a vital signing as he touched down twice in the game which ended 18-12 to Cas. 1 other event from this game saw teenage hooker Drayl Clark making his first team debut at just 17 years old!
The tigers met Hull KR at the PROBIZ coliseum who were still searching for their first win this year, tigers went into this game un-defeated but without Prop nick Fozzard and hooker Ryan Hudson whilst KR were without prop Joel Clinton and scrum-half Micheal Dobson both teams were going all out for the win early on the rovers however opened up a 8 point lead and things then went bad for worse for the tigers has young prop Johnny Walker was stretchered off. The tigers then pulled a try back and it made everything to play for in the second half. The second half the tigers came out lively as youngster Daryl Clark put the tigers back ahead in the second half the game ended 27 - 14 to the tigers has Kirk Dixon kicked 5 goals and scored 1 try. The next week the tigers defeated Catalans Dragons to go to the top of the league again!
The tigers then lost out narrowly to the bradford bulls which ended 18-14 but the tigers bounced back in style with a superb win over crusaders 56 - 12 with Kirk Dixon once again proving vital in kick 8 goals with the tigers fans Dreaming of a team of Nick Fozzards (Ade i'm looking at you!) they are also dreaming of a very special season with being so close to the top of the league and new signing Willie Isa was also scoring well and Dixon AGAIN kicking fantastic at the win over Hull FC and Salford which resulted in another fantastic performance from Rangi Chase so onto my 3rd favourite game of the season against Harlequinns in london what a laugh we had honestly was brilliant and the boys in black and amber may of let the lead slip for Quinns to scrape a un-deserved draw but surely the tigers will bounce back? (Was nice of Fesial Nahaboo to make an apparance appaulding the travelling supporters) The tigers then faced bitterly hated local rivals Wakefield Wildcats the atmosphere down at the PROBIZ Coliseum was electric, Fesial Nahaboo gave a oscar desearving speech before the game which inspiered the fans as he brought Adrian Vowles over from AUS for the game and they both stood in the wheldon road end for the first half which was nice gesture, the tigers led 24-4 but then lost 28 - 24 only for the never say die attitude of Wakey and John Kear to clinch the derby. Knowing the licence announcement about who was going down into the championship with the crows shouting "Wakefields going down" it was even more special for John Kear as he dedicated the victory to former Castleford and Wakefield prop Adam Watene, who died of a heart attack in 2008. The following Monday tigers faced Saints but nothing went right on the day as Craig Huby who was in the form of his life sadly had his season ended after suffering a a knee injury similar to Johnny Walkers.
The next game the tigers slumped to their 3rd defeat in a row this team to Leeds Rhino's. Next up was Rochdale in the cup away which the should help us bounce back a little however this was a very sad day for me as that very morning i'd received the news my step-dad had sadly passed away, but everyone i was with managed to cheer me up a little mainly because we got to number 104 i think it was when shouting "we all dream of a team of Nick Fozzards and number 1 is..." (you get the point!) was nice of the tigers fans to shout rochdale at the end of the game as the home team came to appauled us. Next up was less said the better as we slumped 62-0 away at Wire. It was the cup again and we had Wakey for the 3rd time this year in an evenly contested game it took Kirk Dixon to hold his nerve in the last seconds of golden point to send the tigers fans ballistic. Back to SL and the tigers demolished Quinns 56-24 with Rangi scoring 4 times and Dixon kicking 8 goals and with Johnny Walker back but Isa injured again aswell as youngquest and others things were still going good however the next week they lost to Huddersfield however the game was over shadowed by the tigers being forced the wear Halifax jearseys as both teams were in the same colour kit up stepped Hilda and saved the day but the huddersfield fans were very dis-repectful as they booed Johnny Walker off the pitch after his second game back in 13 weeks of being injured saying he 'dived' and he missed the rest of the season after the game. Next up was the champions Wigan who led 18-0 at the break failed to captalize as the tigers drew the game 22-22 Pat richards would of sealed the game for wigan however he knocked on clear through and under no pressure in what was the turning point of the game the tigers then claimed an ugly win over Salford at the willows and then lost to Catalans, the tigers then played Wigan (which was the game in hand) and were expected to get humilated as the injury ravaged side nearly upset wigan to just lose out by 10 points in what was a outstanding display by the side and just to decimate our forwards pack even more Emmit who had been superb all season picked up a nasty knee injury to add the tigers woes so they opted for 2 loan players in Ben Davies and Rob Parker who made their debuts against Bradford at the Jungle which they won 34-30 the news mid week before the game was that Long serving coach Terry Matterson was leaving at the end of the year to return home the tigers then picked up wins against Crusaders. The challenge cup quarter final was upon us and the tigers edged out a victory to send them 80 minutes away from wembley!! They then lost to Saints at home but the time had come.
It was D-Day for Castleford and Wakefield which of the two clubs will lose their licence for the 2012 -2015 season, the tigers fans were invited down to the ground to learn the fate together however Wakefield had shut up shop so to speak and after a long anxious wait, the name "Castleford Tigers" was read out and the chants of "we are super league" ran out we didn't hear the other names after SSN had come back from a break it said that Crusaders dropped out so Wakefield had survived the drop which i was glad for because they didn't desearve to go down neither did Cas after the details emergered about Crusaders, Tigers CEO Richard Wright gave an emotional speech along with the head coach Terry Matterson.
It was the most anticipated game this season for the tigers they were 80 minutes away from wembley, it was safe to say everybody expected a leeds walkover however that was far from the case, this was my favourite game ever the atmosphere from the Cas Fans gave me goosebumps i've never heard anything like it everything looked good (Hell i even got on tele!!) at half time the Rhino's led by 2-0 an early penalty which sinfeild converted the second half began and Rangi Chase who was due in court over something what happend before he moved to Castleford scored a magnifiant solo try and make the Leeds fullback look foolish the scores were 6-2 after Dixon missed with the conversion but scored a penalty soon after and another with 10 minutes remaining meaning Leeds needed a converted try to draw the game which they found and with about 2 minutes remaining Chase went for the one pointer and he MISSES! Then on the next play McGoldrick caught Danny Mcguire high and the penalty was given all pressure was on Kevin Sinfield to kick this over and to break Castlefords hearts, he steps up looking as focoused as ever and he SCORES! Leeds are through to the final of the challenge cup leaving Castleford distraught but from where i was i knew them players had put their heart and sole into that performance and could not of asked for anything more from them and Keven Sinfield i gained alot of respect for you in the post match interview as you said we probally desearved it more and he didn't jump up and down when he converted the penalty, as gutted as everyone was they knew the players could not of done much more and i've never been as proud to support Cas! The next super league game was against Leeds awayy which we lost 56-0 but unlike some fans i didn't boo because of what they put into the game 5 days ago!
Then we had the last local derby away at Wakey which if we lost we would not gain a play-off place if he won, we had to beat Hull FC at the Jungle but in another closley contested battle the tigers just edged the game with the legend that is Dean Widders throwing a superb dummy to run 5 metres to the try line blowing kisses and waving goodbye to the Castleford supporters as he was also going home at the end of the season to take up a community role with the NRL’s Gold Coast Titans.
In the last home game of the season Castleford faced Hull FC and if they won they were in the playoffs if they lost it all came down to the last game of the season against Hull KR who were fighting for the last play off spot with Cas, however FC spoiled Widders and Mattersons and Willie Isa's leaving party beating us 18-50 but was nice to have my picture taken with the players after the game.
The last game of the season away at Hull KR whoever won were in the playoffs and whoever lost wasn't. With Emmit, Mathers, Huby, Walker, Jackson, Dixon, Aspinwall, McGoldrick, Jones, Youngquest and Ferres all ruled out for the big clash and are all regular first teamers nobody expected a close encunter but the tigers led until 9 minutes from the end when Latus dived over for the winning try the players were all gutted and came over to thank the fans and apologize for not making the play-offs again. Matterson was shown in the dressing room alone and with his head in his hands which will be an image the tigers fans will remeber for a long time!
Awards -
- Player of the season - Rangi Chase had his best season ever, winning the albert goldthorpe medal, named in super league dream team, Man of Steel winner, Cas's offical player of year, fans player of the year 3rd year running!
- Most improved - Tough one this but must say Kirk Dixon had a great year and had what i felt his best year with us and also earning a new contract in the process.
- Young player of the year - Has to goto both Arundel and Milner both in their first season in the first team and both stepped up their game.
- Best Signing - Without doubt Jacob Emmit when Huby got injured he stepped up and was very unlucky to have his season cut short by injury.
- Highlight of season - Getting to the semi-final of the challenge cup is brilliant, nobody thought we'd get that close but we did!
- Turning point - Losing to Saints on bank holiday monday and losing Huby for the season dealt a huge blow to our confidence and couldn't find that early season form
Special mention goes to Richard owen for coming back from that horrific broken leg and he had his off games but how he's come back from it, i have a huge amount of respect for him well done Richie, i take my hat off to you!
Thanks for reading my first ever blog! It's took me hours to complete!
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