Wakefield Trinity's Joe Westerman signs two-year deal with Castleford Tigers

The 31-year-old has been with Trinity since the beginning of the 2020 campaign, having previously played for Hull FC, Warrington Wolves and Toronto Wolfpack.

He made his professional debut with Castleford in 2007, as the Tigers won the Championship and earned promotion back to Super League.

Westerman left Castleford in 2010 after making over 100 appearances for the club. He has been in fine form in 2021 and is set to make his first England appearance since 2014 when Shaun Wane's side take on the Combined Nations All Stars on Friday.

“It’s been about 10 years since I last played at Castleford, and since I was a young kid, I have always supported Cas," said Pontefract-born Westerman.

"My whole family around me support Cas so it will be good, and it is something I am really looking forward to.

“Cas has always been a big club in my eyes. From being a kid and supporting them to now, where they are up there with some quality players, it is really exciting.

"The standard is really high now and I just want to get there and play well for my hometown club next year.”

Westerman has come in for high praise from Wakefield coach Chris Chester this season after being one of the club's stand-out players.

The forward says that he has "a lot to thank Wakefield for" as he prepares for what will be his final months at Belle Vue.

Westerman added: “I’m loving my time at Wakefield, and I have the utmost respect for the club and the people in it.

"It has made me enjoy my rugby again and I have got a lot to thank Wakefield for. I get up every morning loving going to work.

“I think it is just me enjoying my rugby and finding the love for it again. I have realised the little things you have to do away from the pitch to make you a better player.”

Castleford's incoming coach for 2022, Lee Radford, is a familiar face for the loose-forward, after the pair worked together at Hull.

"Joe is in very good form, and he is in a good place in his life, he is at a point in his career that he has a couple of years to win something,” said Radford.

“In my opinion, he should have more international caps than he has but for whatever reason that hasn’t happened.

"I honestly think for a ball-playing thirteen there aren’t too many better in the competition at the minute.”