McShane is the man who makes Castleford tick, says Wigan Warriors boss Wane

And he says shutting down the nuggety No.9 will go along way towards deciding tomorrow’s semi-final at the DW Stadium.

McShane, 28, has played a key role in the Tigers’ third-placed finish and some were surprised he didn’t get a call-up to the England squad.

There wasn’t even a place for him in the second-tier Knights outfit, which was yesterday revealed and included Warriors trio Oliver Gildart, Tom Davies and Sam Powell.

But Wane is a huge admirer of McShane and said: “He is the man. He’s the man who makes them tick.

“He gets out fast, he’s very strong, we need to pay some attention to him. I’ve been very impressed with him this year, last year – I was a fan of his when he was at Leeds.”

Castleford were beaten in last year’s Grand Final and while they have not been as dominant during the regular season this time around, Wane said: “On their day they can beat anyone.

“When they’re on, they’re on. We expect a huge, huge game, no question.”

Meanwhile, Wigan pair Morgan Escare and Romain Navarrete named in France squad to face England at Leigh Sports Village on October 17.