He got the nod just hours before kick-off on Friday night, but Calum Turner put in a performance to be proud of in Castleford's 30-34 victory over in-form Warrington. Scoring 16 of the Tigers' 34 points, Turner showed just why he is an England Academy No.1 and why he should have been given a chance to show what he could do before now.
Out of nowhere
With Greg Eden and Paul McShane pulling out of the game on Friday morning, an already heavily disrupted Castleford side would need to be rearranged once more by head coach Daryl Powell. New signing Quentin Laulu-Togaga'e was expected to make his debut at fullback - his natural position - but with McShane out, the Samoan was drafted into the halves alongside teenager Jake Trueman.
It was therefore left for Powell to bring in another teenager at fullback - Calum Turner.
Turner had not even trained with the first-team in the buildup to the game so it was even more remarkable to put in the kind of performance that he did - a performance which had many Rugby League fans in raptures. Sure, there were mistakes in his game - the need for a more commanding voice at the back to encourage his defence to slide to one side was perhaps the major gripe - but for a first foray at fullback in a Super League fixture against a Warrington side that had won their last five home games, Turner should hold his head very high.
Mature performance
You would have forgiven Turner if the nerves had got to him, after all, he was the fourth fullback that Castleford have tried this season and, live on Sky Sports, away at high-flying Warrington was a game that could have ruined his confidence.
But, the youngster looked like he had been the Castleford fullback all year.
His confidence shone through - especially with his superb 100 per cent goal-kicking record - and his ability to chime into the line and cause Warrington problems - not least for Jy Hitchcox's try just before half-time - demonstrated just why he is so highly thought of amongst the Castleford faithful.
Powell pulled him off after making a mistake which led to a Warrington try on 70 minutes - although it also seemed as though Turner had suffered an injury - and it was perhaps criminal that the teenager was not among the four man-of-the-match candidates that a supposed 'legend' had chosen.
Linked with all and sundry
Castleford's problems at fullback this season has meant that the rumour mill has been going into overdrive about potential long-term replacements for Zak Hardaker.
Jake Mamo, Niall Evalds, David Mead, Brad Abbey and now 19-year-old Matt Cooper - currently plying his trade Down Under for NRL side Newcastle Knights - have all been linked with the Tigers.
But, should boss Daryl Powell be looking closer to home? Turner is also 19 and has shown in one game that he has the makings of a Super League player. Therefore, instead of looking elsewhere, should Powell just give Turner a chance until the end of season and, if he impresses, put the trust in him for the future?
Too many clubs recruit outsiders rather than look at their own production line and Castleford have perhaps been guilty of this in the past few seasons. But, Turner grabbed his opportunity with both hands and staked his claim to be Castleford's long-term fullback on Friday night. The solution to the fullback problem could well have been staring Daryl Powell in the face all along.
