However, it would be a difficult year for the West Yorkshire side, with the Tigers winning just six out of 27 Super League games – a statistic that placed them second bottom in the table with only local rivals Wakefield Trinity beneath them.
Lee Radford, Andy Last and Danny Ward all tried their hand at turning the tide but it was far from a season to remember for Castleford.
For one player that was involved heavily, Mahe Fonua, who would go on to leave The Jungle outfit towards the back end of the season, it was a tough time.
“I’m not sure what the issue was, we had a good squad on paper but for whatever reason, it just didn’t seem to click,” Fonua told League Express.
“It was quite difficult to find consistency with the head coach changing three times in the same year and then things snowballed.
“I wasn’t upset about leaving early, it’s just the line of work I’m in and I know that is always a possibility. I wasn’t playing at the time and it was a decision that worked in both favours.”
Fonua does, however, still have great words to say about Radford and Last – the two men that were vital to Hull FC’s Challenge Cup success in 2016 and 2017.
“There isn’t anything I haven’t already said about those two, I have great history and chemistry with them!
“We had some great success in our earlier years together and I owe a lot to those two for what they have done for me.”
When the 31-year-old left Castleford, Fonua was certain he would go back home. However, a phone call from Doncaster’s chief executive, Carl Hall, stopped him in his tracks.
And it’s fair to say the 2023 season ended on a high, with Fonua helping the Dons earn promotion to the Championship.
“Once word had got out about me parting ways with Castleford, Carl Hall – the chief executive of Doncaster – reached out to me to see if i was interested in seeing the season out with them and add to their squad as they were pushing for promotion.
“I was planning to move back home, but after the offer and hearing the club’s aspirations to go up a division, I wanted to be apart of that and i accepted.
“I believe everything happens for a reason and with the opportunity to finish my UK career at the Dons on a high was the way I wanted to finish up.
“I’m very grateful to Carl for that phone call. I enjoyed my short time at the club and playing my part to help the club get promoted.”
