Our best chance (albeit unlikely) of getting 2 valuable points from the remaining four games.

Losing Cartwright is a big blow as he really looks the part.
A few to come back though. Sao, Balmforth, Eseh jnr, Chan, maybe Houghton and wonder if Mitch will come in to the reckoning after playing for the reserves on Saturday.
Nothing against Charles whatsoever but think he needs taking out of the firing line(although think he will play) and maybe give Carlos a go at 6?

Moy
Barron
Mitch/Carlos
Briscoe
Martin
Carlos/Charles
Smith
Ese Ese
Houghton
Aydin
Lane
Ruan/Chan
Sao

Fash
Eseh jnr
Ashworth
Balmforth

Two sides playing out the last rites of an underwhelming season (or borderline catastrophic in our case!).
Two sides with nothing meaningful to really play for (can't go up, can't go down!).

Think it boils down to which side would like to taste that winning feeling the more, even if it is in a game which counts for very little!
Problem is, that is not a question I feel very confident about when applied to us. Home advantage should, in normal circumstances, tip the scales our way in this instance, but it is difficult to have any faith in our side, given what we witnessed throughout the year.

I'll be there, hoping that we wake up for one final go in 2024, but I have zero confidence in that happening.
The sooner this year is over and done with, the better it will be for all concerned aboard the good ship Fc!!

Can't see us getting anything out the game tbh.
We're pretty much at full strength at prop but now light in the 2nd row with the loss of Cartwright.
If Mitch is ready for first team I'd put him at centre and get Carlos in the halves. I'm torn about hooker, I'd be tempted to have Lane/Balmforth there and keep Smith in the halves. Charles just looks ineffective atm although with more props playing he might get a bit more front foot ball.
It's all academic really as Cas will be too strong for us.

cas spending much less than us on their squad and getting more out of it. linguard seems to have them playing at the top end of their abilities. A settled, experienced, spine helps.

We've barely been able to put out the same spine 2 games in a row all season

I'd leave Charles in for, wonder if Trueman will play for us again I highly doubt it, wouldn't play Chan unless we are really short, shame about Cartwright he's been a positive lately
Moy
Barron
Carlos
Briscoe
Martin
Charles
Smith
Ese Ese
Houghton
Aydin
Lane
Ruan
Sao

Fash
Eseh jnr
Ashworth
Balmforth

Its where the points are going to come from ?. This month we've managed to score 4-12-4 & 4 .

This is the problem. As soon as a team scores 2 tries we look pretty doomed.

Contrary to sanity I believe we could win this game.

Another prediction is that it will be the lowest crowd in terms of fans through the turnstiles in donkeys years.

We pushed a misfiring Wigan side for an hour and they only beat us by 18 so you'd think we could get closer to a result against Cas but we just don't know what performance this team will chuck out .

We could definitely win this game, I don't think we will but we are capable.

It doesn't help, when our only real attacking threat (& the confidence of the team visibly lifts,) is brought on for the last 20 minutes of the game.

Sounds like Houghton and possible Walker back. I'd go with

Moy
Martin
Briscoe
Carlos
Barron
Walker
Smith
Ese Ese
Houghton
Aydin
Lane
Sao
Fash

Ashworth
Eseh
Ruan
Balmforth

Charles in for Walker if he isn't right.

If Walker and Houghton are fit that isn't too bad. At the very least we should be competitive.

Don't get your hopes up!

Kids for a quid and friends for a fiver this weekend apparently.
So if the kids have annoyed you over the summer holidays or you've fallen out with a mate, you can inflict a ticket on them cheaply!