Zak Hardaker

Zak Hardaker (born 17 October 1991) is an English professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for Leeds Rhinos in the Super League. He previously played for Featherstone Rovers in the Championship. His preferred position is fullback, but he can also play at centre and on the wing. An England international representative, Hardaker has won two Challenge Cups and three Super League championships with Leeds. Individually he has been named to the Super League Dream Team on two occasions, and was the 2015 Man of Steel.

Playing career

Featherstone Rovers

Hardaker joined Featherstone Rovers from local amateur side Featherstone Lions after leaving school at Carleton High School in Pontefract. He previously played for his home town club Knottingley Rockware before signing pro terms with Featherstone Rovers.
He scored a hat-trick of tries on his 2010 début for Featherstone Rovers against Hunslet, and went on to score 22 tries in 14 games in all competitions in his début season. This included two tries in Rovers' extra-time 23–22 Co-operative Grand Final defeat by Halifax.
At the end of the season he was named joint Co-operative Championship Young Player of the Year, along with Gareth Moore of Batley Bulldogs.

Castleford Tigers

Castleford Tigers RLFC are an English rugby league club based in Castleford, West Yorkshire that plays in the rugby league top-tier Super League. Formed in 1926, the club were founder members of the 1996 Super League taking part in the inaugural competition and have won a number of major honours including the Challenge Cup four times. The club's most recent major trophy was the now-defunct 1994 Regal Trophy.

Castleford have a rivalry with neighbours Featherstone Rovers, Wakefield Wildcats and Leeds Rhinos. The club have been based at Wheldon Road in Castleford, since 1927, after moving from Sandy Desert in Lock Lane, Castleford.

The club's home colours are currently black and orange, although historically the home colours are black and amber.

History

1896-1925: First Castleford club

Castleford RFC joined the Northern Rugby Football Union for the 1896–97 season, its second and remained in the ranks of the semi-professionals until the end of the 1905–06 season. Not much is known about the original Castleford club, except that they have no connection with the present Castleford Tigers RLFC.