Castleford appoint Paul Rowley on three-year deal after St Helens exit

Castleford Tigers have appointed Paul Rowley as head coach on a three-year contract, BBC Sport reported. The former St Helens coach takes over a side that finished second from bottom in Super League, filling the vacancy left when Ryan Carr departed in August for personal reasons. It is Rowley's third Super League head-coaching job.

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The Tigers won eight of their 27 league games, with only Bradford Bulls finishing below them. They have not reached the play-offs since 2019, although the club received an A score in the IMG ratings released last week. Their coaching appointment follows a season in which local rivals Wakefield Trinity won the Grand Final.

Rowley returns to work after leaving St Helens in July, midway through his first season in charge. According to the BBC, injuries contributed to a difficult spell at Saints, who were sixth in the table when he departed. The club subsequently missed out on the play-offs, bringing an unsuccessful end to the campaign.

His earlier record at Salford Red Devils included play-off appearances in 2022 and 2024. Those teams were known for their attacking rugby before serious financial problems affected the club. His work at Salford preceded his appointment at St Helens, and Castleford now become the next Super League side to put him in charge.

Castleford director of rugby Chris Chester pointed to Rowley's experience of developing players and assembling competitive teams when explaining the appointment. In comments reported by the BBC, Chester also highlighted his leadership, enthusiasm and clear ideas about how his sides should play, with an emphasis on an attacking approach that supporters could enjoy.

Rowley will have incoming players Damien Cook, Mat Feagai and Tyrell Sloan to work with, while Robbie Mulhern is also joining to strengthen the forwards. The BBC reported that several players left at the end of the season. Rowley also has an established relationship with Chester from their time at Halifax, reuniting the pair as Castleford prepare for their next campaign.