Jason Qareqare

2021–22

On 10 June 2021, 17-year-old Qareqare was given a late call-up into the Castleford Tigers side to face Hull FC. Having been expected to play for the under-19s that weekend,^[6][8] he received a phone call from first team head coach Daryl Powell while in maths class at school, to tell him he would make his Super League debut.^[8][9] He started on the left wing and, inside the first minute, rounded Hull fullback Jake Connor to score a try with his first touch of the ball.^[10][11] This was nominated for Super League Try of the Month,^[12] and was later voted Castleford's Try of the Year despite strong competition.^[13] He went on to make two further appearances in 2021, featuring off the bench against Wakefield and starting at fullback in a youthful side against Salford.^[14][15]

Qareqare signed a two-year contract extension with Castleford in April 2022.^[16][17] In his first start of the 2022 season on 22 April, he once again scored a long-range try in the first minute with his first touch of the ball, beating four St Helens defenders on the touchline.^[18] This score went on to be voted Super League Try of the Month, and in December was voted Super League Try of the Season.^[19][20][21] On 15 May, he scored two tries in Castleford's victory over Hull Kingston Rovers.^[22] The following week, Qareqare scored his second consecutive brace against Salford, with his "pace and skill in tight situations evidenced by his sublime finishes".^[23] He finished the season with 7 tries in 8 appearances.^[1]

2023–25

For the 2023 season, Qareqare switched from squad number 33 to 31.^[30] After being recalled from loan in June, he scored the late winning try for Castleford in their 26–24 victory against Leeds Rhinos at the 2023 Magic Weekend.^[31][32] He scored again in the two following rounds against Salford and Warrington.^[33][34] In round 25, Qareqare scored two tries for Castleford in their 29–12 victory over Hull FC.^[35][36] The second of these, a length-of-the-field interception from a Hull scrum play, went on to be voted Castleford's Try of the Season.^[37]

In 2024, Qareqare started in the opening rounds but suffered an ankle injury on 25 February, expected to keep him out for two months.^[38][39] On 17 May, Castleford announced that Qareqare had signed a further two-year contract extension.^[40][41] The following week, on his return from injury against Hull in round 12, he scored a try and assisted another for Tex Hoy.^[42] He scored two tries against Salford in round 19 and repeated this feat against Huddersfield in round 22.^[43][44] Qareqare was rested for one game in August as a precautionary measure for a tight hamstring,^[45] but otherwise featured in every round from May, making 17 appearances.

Qareqare was promoted to Castleford's number 2 for the 2025 season.^[46] During pre-season training, he sustained a hamstring injury which forced him to miss the opening two months of the campaign.^[47][48] In round 8, Qareqare marked his return to the team with two tries against Wakefield;^[49][50] the first of these was named Castleford's Try of the Season, his fourth such award.^[51] However, in the final minute of the match, he suffered a recurrence of the hamstring injury.^[52] This required surgery and necessitated a further four-month lay-off.^[53][54] Though he returned to the Tigers' 21-man squad for the final two rounds, Qareqare was rested and made no further appearances.^[55][56]