SO many teams have stepped off the bus at Wheldon Road this season thinking Castleford Tigers have already beaten them.

If Wolves are to defy the odds and become the first team to tame the Tigers at home in 2017, they must avoid that mindset.

Everything has to go right on the field as well, particularly in defence against a side that has averaged just over 43 points per home game this season.

Several key players were given a rest by head coach Daryl Powell against St Helens on Sunday, but they were still able to win 16-12.

Now, the likes of Luke Gale, Zak Hardaker and Michael Shenton are refreshed and will have Wolves in their sights.

Powell’s side have continued to play the sort of swashbuckling rugby that made them every rugby league fan’s ‘second team,’ but this year they have added defensive steel to their armoury.

Their daring style makes try-scoring look easy for the two Gregs, Minikin and Eden, on the wings. The latter is eight tries clear of the field in Super League’s try-scoring stakes having crossed 25 times already.

In the pack, workhorses such as Andy Lynch, Paul McShane and Adam Milner are complimented by Samoan second-row enforcers Jesse Sene-Lefao and Junior Moors as well as newly-capped England international Mike McMeeken.

Barring an alarming drop in form, ‘Classy Cas’ already look certain to be title contenders.

COACH PROFILE – Daryl Powell:

HAVING been linked with almost every top job in English rugby league, including that of the national team, it would have been easy for Powell to take his eye off the ball.

However, the former Great Britain international is having none of it.

Powell has been slowly cultivating the Tigers’ brand of rugby since taking over in 2013, winning the hearts and minds of neutrals in the process.

Now, though, he seems to have the squad in place to become winners as well as entertainers.

INJURY NEWS:

AS mentioned previously, Powell rested Luke Gale, Zak Hardaker, Michael Shenton and Grant Millington against St Helens last week.

All are expected to return on Sunday, but Junior Moors will need to pass a head test after coming off against Saints.

Matt Cook has been ruled out for 10 weeks, while Kieran Gill is also absent through injury.

Tigers squad: Greg Eden, Alex Foster, Zak Hardaker, Jy Hitchcox, Tom Holmes, Luke Gale, Kevin Larroyer, Andy Lynch, Nathan Massey, Mike McMeeken, Paul McShane, Grant Millington, Adam Milner, Junior Moors, Joel Monaghan, Ben Roberts, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Michael Shenton.

ONE TO WATCH – Greg Eden:

HAVING scored hat-tricks in his previous three games, Eden will perhaps have been disappointed not to score against St Helens on Sunday.

That said, it is not like the former Salford, Huddersfield and Hull KR has been lacking in tries this season.

With 25 scores already, the record of 42 set just last year by the man whose place on the Tigers’ left wing he took, the acrimoniously-departed Denny Solomona, is in his sights.