Castleford head coach Mikey Firth praised his squad’s commitment despite their narrow 26–22 defeat to Old Brodleians II. He highlighted the competitive debuts of four U18 Colts and commended players who stepped into unfamiliar positions. Firth singled out Jamie Owens for his impact off the bench and captain Liam Hands for leading from the front with two tries. He said the passion shown across the squad was a major positive and insisted the performance provides a strong foundation for the season, adding that he “couldn’t be prouder” of his players.