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Castleford Tigers interim head coach Chris Chester has said the club have become “complacent” after they were hammered 46-6 at Leigh.
Chester was appointed the club’s director of rugby in May and stepped in to take over running the team in July after Danny McGuire was sacked.
Former Featherstone Rovers coach Ryan Carr was announced last week as the Tigers’ new head coach for next season and he will take over a side who have now lost 19 of their 24 Super League matches this year.
“I knew what I was walking into. I think as a club we had become complacent. It’s like a little bit of rot that has set in and it is hard to get rid of,” Chester told BBC Radio Leeds after Thursday’s defeat.
“We’ve got to change the mindset because I want to win.”
He added: “I’ll speak to Ryan on Friday morning about what needs to change and I think it’s pretty obvious. The mindset of this group – ‘they’ve always done this, they’ve always done that’ – well, look at what that’s got us.
“I’m not just talking players on the field, I’m talking off it as well. It’s sad where we’re at as a club.”
Chester said the Tigers were “physically nowhere near” a Leigh side who confirmed their place in the top six with an eight-try victory.
Castleford, who sit 11th out of 12 with three games to play, have not claimed a play-off berth since 2019.
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Former Hull KR and Wakefield coach Chester said he “needed people to care more” after Cas slipped to a fifth straight loss.
However, despite the difficulties of this year, he believes they are on a path to turning things around.
Tigers confirmed the signing of Canterbury Bulldogs full-back Blake Taaffe earlier this week and Chester said they would be announcing a “mind-blowing” transfer on Friday.
“We’re in a tough spot but I’m positive because I know the players we’ve signed and we’re going to announce,” he added.
“I’m very optimistic that we will be there or thereabouts in 2026.
“We know we’ve got a rebuild. We’ve got a passionate board of directors and I want some passionate players and some men who are going to front up every week.”
