Glassie linked with move to Castleford
COOK Island international Tere Glassie is the latest name to be linked with Castleford as head coach Terry Matterson looks to finalise his first-team squad (writes Ian Nutbrown).
The Express understands the former Oldham and Leigh pack man held talks with the Tigers over the past week.
Cas boss Matterson - still in the market for at least three new faces - has made no secret of a desire to strengthen his front-row, although officials this week denied that a deal to bring 29-year-old Glassie to the Jungle had already been done.
Since Matterson (pictured) announced his decision to stay at the Jungle just four weeks ago, Cas have made 11 new signings and retained ten of last season's squad, including five - Michael Shenton, Andy Henderson, Craig Huby, Ryan McGoldrick and Peter Lupton - with regular Super League experience.
Of the 21-strong squad, only three will not be on board when Castleford return to training on November 13 and that is a far healthier situation than 12 months ago when Cas were still hunting a first-team coach to pilot their return to Super League.
Said Matterson: "This time last year I was still a month away from being named as coach so we're way ahead. We had about six or seven players who came after the New Year and quite a few more through the year. This time we'll be able to put a lot more structure in place and work on things well before Christmas."
"The majority will be on board for the first training session. Guttenbeil, Leafa and McGoldrick will be the only three missing."
Danny Brough's future remains unclear. Cas are hopeful of retaining the Scottish international and may have to wait until the end of the month to get a decision - Brough is contracted until November 30.
Ex-Cas and Manly utility Mark Lennon and former Huddersfield half-back Paul White, who is surplus to requirements at Wakefield, remain among the options if a Super League club comes in for Brough.
Matterson is content to sit tight for now: "I'm not in any hurry at the moment. We've recruited really well and I'm only looking at another three or so. There's a big possibility I could leave a couple of vacancies until next year.
"Brough's got up until November 30. There's a Super League get-out for him. He's intimated that he wants to be here but I understand it could change if a Super League club came in for him. We'll just have to wait and see on that one."
"Things have gone really well. It was two weeks before I made my decision to stay but once I'd spoken to Andy Henderson - who's highly thought of among the players - and we got Awen Guttenbeil, it started to flow fairly quickly. Including some of the young guys from last year, we've kept about ten of the squad, which is good.
"Realistically we were never going to keep Manu and those type of guys. Guys in the middle stages of their career need to play Super League but it won't hurt players like Shenton and Huby.
"We only plan to be in the National League for one year and they'll still only be 21. They won't be on the periphery as they might have been."
Currently on board for 2007 are Henderson, Shenton, Huby, McGoldrick, Lupton, newcomers Tom Saxton, Ryan Clayton, Michael Wainwright, Kirk Dixon, Liam Higgins, Awen Guttenbeil, Stuart Donlan, Jimmy King, Dwayne Barker, Mark Leafa and Chris Charles, and Academy stars Ryan Boyle, Jason Payne, Michael Knowles, Richard Owen and Joe Westerman.
Of the remainder of the 2006 squad, Adam Fletcher appears unlikely to return after rejecting a new deal. Cas have not yet ruled out a 2007 slot for Richard Fletcher but Luke Dyer, Grant Edwards, Mathew Whitaker, Gray Viane, Richie Fa'aoso and Danny Ward all look to have played their last game for the club.
01 November 2006
