Tex Hoy Shines on Castleford Tigers Debut, Eager to Rediscover His Best
Tex Hoy Impresses on Debut for Castleford Tigers
Tex Hoy’s debut for the Castleford Tigers was a resounding success, as the Australian full-back produced a Man of the Match performance in the team’s 40-0 victory over the London Broncos on Friday night. The 24-year-old, who recently departed Hull FC, admitted he didn’t showcase his undeniable talents often enough during his time with the Airlie Birds.
Hoy, who joined the Tigers on a deal until the end of the season, wasted no time in making an impression at Wheldon Road. With his first touch of the game, he carved through London’s defense to set up a try for Jacob Miller, and then produced another stunning break that led to a score for Alex Mellor.
“That wasn’t too bad for my debut and I was pretty happy with it,” Hoy told Love Rugby League after the match. “There are one or two things I need to fix up, but that will come with learning how the boys play. I’m just trying to enjoy my footy, first and foremost, and get that buzz for the game again.”
Hoy Reflects on Disappointments at Hull FC
The former Newcastle Knights player acknowledged that his time at Hull FC was not up to his own high standards, but he holds no ill feelings towards the club.
“I’m probably disappointed in myself following my time there – I don’t think I played my best footy at Hull,” he said. “But at the end of the day, footy is a business, and whether that came from up top or the playing group, I’m not too sure.”
Hoy believes that Hull FC, who have endured a difficult start to the 2024 season, are in a rebuilding phase and will need time to turn their fortunes around.
“It’s a very inexperienced team at Hull, and they’re going to go through a tough patch, I would say, for maybe a couple of years,” he explained. “But every team does that, and it might be that, in five years’ time, they might have all played 100-plus games.”
Hoy Open to Extending Castleford Stay
As for his own future, Hoy is focused on the present and is open to the possibility of extending his stay at Castleford beyond this season.
“At the moment I’m going week to week, and my future will sort itself out,” he said. “Could I stay at Cas? It all depends on my situation as I’ve got a missus too. But she’s happy and has started a business over here. It’s about what I want to do personally, but I’m open to all things.”
Castleford head coach Craig Lingard was full of praise for Hoy’s debut performance, and the respect between the player and the coaching staff is clearly mutual. With Hoy’s talent and the Tigers’ support, the Australian playmaker will be eager to rediscover his best form and make the most of this fresh start.
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