15 March 2024 , 21:02
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Catalan Dragons star Mike McMeeken reckons Castleford got it wrong firing boss Andy Last - but he isn’t complaining.
The England prop faces his winless former club at Stade Gilbert Brutus on Saturday bidding to condemn them to a fifth straight defeat. Castleford, hammered 50-8 by visitors Huddersfield last week, have never kicked on since McMeeken helped them finish top for the first time and reach a maiden Super League Grand Final in 2017.
Their decline has been sad to see but the towering forward reckons England assistant Last - now Steve McNamara’s No2 in Perpignan - was the right man to revive them.
However, fearing relegation, Castleford sacked him in August just five months after taking over from Lee Radford. Danny Ward parachuted in to stave them off the drop and ex-Batley boss Craig Lingard is now in the hotseat.
McMeeken, who left to move to France in 2021, said: “With Daryl Powell in charge we were a pretty consistent side. Although we only finished top once we were in and around the top-four.
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“It was always going to be difficult when the likes of Michael Shenton and Grant Millington retired. There was always going to be a transition period. I don’t think the fans realised how difficult it would be. When you lose key players and a coach like that it was always going to be tough.
"But when they had Lasty in charge they let go someone who was very good for them. He just needed time to get the players he wanted in. Their loss, though, is our gain. We’ve gained a great coach and someone we value highly at our club.”
Catalans have only lost one of their opening four games as they bid to reach Old Trafford for a third time in four years and finally lift a Super League title. McMeeken, heavily linked with move to Wakefield in 2025, said: “We’re in a good spot. We’re disappointed to lose the game at Leeds but to win three so far is good and now we’re hoping to make it four from five.”
Catalans' Mike McMeeken takes on Salford's Marc Sneyd (PA)McMeeken, 29, missed the 18-10 loss at Headingley a fortnight ago after suffering a back spasm in warm-up. He recalled: “It was a strange one. I’ve never had it before so it was weird. I had a slight bit of soreness from the travel the week before. Being six foot five doesn’t help when you’re sat for four or five hours at a time.
"It felt fine in the warm-up until I did the tackle bags and then that aggravated it. Steve made the call to not risk it. It was frustrating but in the big picture it got me right for last week against Hull.
"And it’s made me more aware of what I need to do in my own time in terms of rehab and pre-hab.”