Without making any boasts about what they are going to do at Headingley tomorrow night the Tigers are quietly confident they can give a good account of themselves and can go some way to banishing memories of the thrashing they took at the hands of the Rhinos at the ground last year.
Leeds are already up and running with a 34-6 win away to Crusaders and appear to be even stronger this year with the arrival of overseas stars Brett Delaney and Greg Eastwood, but the Tigers are happy their preparations have gone well and have their own two "new boys" in Steve Snitch and Paul Jackson, who have added to the forward power of the team.
Head coach Terry Matterson reckons Cas are raring to go and he is excited by the prospect of such a big local derby to open the campaign.
He said: "The preparations have been good. It's been a long off season for us and the boys are ready to play.
"I know that it was a big disappointment for fans on our last visit to Headingley. The guys are a bit sore about that and they are very keen to put in a good performance.
"We obviously looked at the Leeds game at Crusaders and took a bit out of that, but we've been working hard on what we're going to do and how we want to play.
"You've got to be careful, make sure you don't play the game too early, but it's a big occasion going to Headingley. We haven't performed too well over there in recent times, but that's gone, that's in the past and we've just got to concentrate on what we're going to do on Friday night.
"If we do the things that we can control well we'll give ourselves a chance of winning the game.
"We've got two new players in plus the team's had another off season so last year's game is dead and buried and it's a new season.
"It was a really tough game for Leeds at Crusaders. Conditions were tough and I thought the opposition handled themselves well and played with a lot enthusiasm - that's what we need to do.
"We have to play a bit smarter than Crusaders as well and need to score some points. Getting that balance right is sometimes our problem, but we've worked hard on doing that.
"We're going to find out if it was an advantage for Leeds to have already played a game. I'm not too sure. We've had three friendlies, our players are ready."
Matterson is going with his most experienced players in his first 19-man squad of the season, but Castleford will be without Kirk Dixon, who is expected to be out for another month following an operation on a calf injury, and back row man Ryan Clayton, who tore a bicep in training on Monday.
Young forward John Davies is in the first team squad for the first time, while Jackson and Snitch are set to make their first appearance in a competitive game since joining the club. Five players who had operations in the close season - Richard Owen, Brent Sherwin, Joe Westerman, Stuart Jones and Brett Ferres - are fit enough to take their place, alongside skipper Ryan Hudson, who is fully recovered from his broken arm.
"We suffered a disappointment when Ryan Clayton tore a bicep on Monday and he's going to be out for a couple of weeks," said Matterson.
"It's disappointing for him as he's worked really hard and given himself a good opportunity with a very good off-season.
"With Ryan dropping out it made things a bit clearer selection wise, but it was tough.
"The guys that miss out are going to have to bide their time and work hard and their time will come.
"Young Johnny Davies has really put his hand up, which I'm really pleased about. I wouldn't have thought at the start of the off season that he'd be pushing for a place in the 17, but with what he's done in the off season and in the two trials he's played he's made me think long and hard about him."
Tigers squad: Owen, Shenton, Evans, Wainwright, Chase, Sherwin, Sargent, Hudson, Huby, Ferres, Snitch, Westerman, Jones, Higgins, Jackson, Netherton, McGoldrick, Widders, Davies.