Nathan Massey and Liam Watts back as Castleford Tigers bolster middles

Nathan Massey has returned to the squad after injury while Liam Watts is available again after completing his latest ban.

For Massey it is a surprise return after a knee injury had been thought likely to keep him out of action for the rest of the season and his inclusion in the 21-man squad is a timely boost with Suaia Matagi still suspended and George Griffin unable to play last week.

Back rowers Joe Westerman and George Lawler started at prop against Huddersfield with Daniel Smith the only one with front row experience among the replacements.

"We had no middles unfortunately, so we knew physically we were not going to impose ourselves on Huddersfield,” said Tigers boss Radford.

"We were second best, we were beaten by the better side in many facets of the game.

“We’re playing people out of position, but we’re scrapping, we’re having a crack and we’ll continue to do that between now and the end of the season.

"We’ll fight as hard as we can to make that fifth or sixth spot, which is available for us.”

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Castleford were nudged out of the play-off positions when Leeds and Salford both won last weekend, but it is still in their own hands to finish in the top six with both of their rivals still to play, along with Daryl Powell’s Warrington in the first of three games in nine days to end the regular season.

“There's more than one way to skin a cat: either you can crawl into the play-offs, get some momentum or rest,” added Radford.

"We'll review (the Huddersfield game), show our disappointment in certain areas and will be better for next week.

“We have to be because you're either aiming up to play better or you're on holiday in September – and I don't want to go on holiday in September.”

The Cas 21-man squad for the Warrington match shows two changes from last week’s Giants game, with Watts and Massey returning in place of Jordan Turner and Cheyse Blair.