The great Catalans fire sale of 2020 carries on with Remi Casty the latest to depart.
https://www.totalrl.com/casty-quits-catalans/
We knew the club had put it all in to make sure the fixtures were fulfilled, but didn't expect this...
Good luck Papa.
With the potential cash flow issues from finishing this season, costs look like they will need to be cut.
INS
Gil Dudson (Salford)
David Fifita (Rumoured) (Wakefield)
Mike Mc Meeken (Castleford)
OUTS
David Mead (Rumoured)
Mika Simon (Carcassonne)
Sam Moa (Lezignan)
Eamon O'Carroll (Coach)
Lucas Albert (Lezignan)
RETAINED
Israel Folau
Mika Simon and coach Eamon O'Carroll have both left the club.
Simon has been a successful player in 2 spells and joins Carcassonne to play in Elite 1.
With Lucas Albert also joining this will add to the depth of quality in the domestic competition and we wish them both luck (apart from when they play us!).
The second new name clearing their locker is coach Eamon O'Carroll who leaves to head back to the UK.
We would like to thank all of the departing players and staff for their work with the club.
boom boom.
Sam Moa, the man from Samoa has left the club to join Lezignan in Elite 1.
We wish the great man well and thank him for his service at Stade Gilbert Brutus.
Thanks for all the praise but it’s no consolation right now.
Dragons folded when they needed to show a backbone the most.
It was one of those performances that we have consistently shown on the road throughout our history.
Nothing in attack, ill disciplined and weak at the back.
The coach, who has been much criticised on this page over the years looked hurt. Not upset, not angry but hurt.
He had put a team of players many of whom are equal or better than those of St Helens out on the field and they didn’t perform.
We can point to the travel and the rapidly emerging stories about financial issues as potentially mitigating factors, but the cold hard truth is that you can keep replacing the players every year as much as you want but there is something inherent in the clubs DNA that means they don’t consistently have the mental toughness to win matches of this nature.
The odd win here or there is now no longer enough for this team.
It’s not fair on Bernard Guasch who continues to invest money in the team and in managing the logistical challenge of getting to England and back all the time.
And, despite my reservations about his style of play, its not fair on Steve McNamara.
He looks like he has no idea how to solve this issue and my level of respect for the guy rocketed after he refused to bow to the Sky interviewer’s desperation for him to blame the RFL suspension panel for the loss.
My understanding is that in not taking the Toronto route out of the season and trying to keep Superleague honest we might have to try and offload some of the bigger earners at the club to try and make it through 2021 in whatever format the season happens.
It was interesting to see the pundits on TV Friday saying that there should be some form of compensation coming our way to offset a lot of the cost of private jets. I agree that there should be a plan to help Dragons over the winter and I look forward to seeing what Robert Elstone has to offer.
In the meantime, let’s head to the beach and see what happens over the next few weeks. It’s a well-deserved break after this most unusual of seasons.
If you are reading here look for some controversial defence of Joel Tomkins and Micky McIlorum's actions from last week, best click elsewhere.
For me the punishment's fit the crime and these two have let their team mates and coaching staff down with a lack of discipline.
If these were isolated incidents within the clubs playing staff you could move on and put it down to the excitement of having a play off chance.
But it isn't so you cant.
Its a constant thorn in our side and something that can ultimately have an impact on the clubs ability to compete for honours.
I am all for not taking a step back and for being their for your mates. They are core elements of the game of rugby.
But picking up a player whose nose you just smeared over his face to try and make it look like he is play acting is wrong.
This would blow over so much more quickly if the club or the coaches faced the press and said "yeah we crossed a line". But Joel Tomkins defence using his brothers Twitter feed makes me think that they are all taking that "its not our fault" line.
The owner is also said to be furious over the punishments handed down. But you can be sure that if the boot had been on the other foot he would have been advocating the degree of sentence handed down.
Play off time should be exciting and wonderful and we should look forward to the occasions. However we continue our journey from being everyone's 2nd favourite team to one of their most hated.
I don't like that path and want us to show more discipline and control on the pitch whilst not actively recruiting bad boys who can do you no good sat at home because they are banned.
The tough start to the season for Justin Murphy and his Catalan reserve side continues after a narrow defeat to a strong Carcassonne side.
Dragons Catalans (18) 26
T : Tom Davies, Samisoni Langi, Israel Folau, David Mead
G : James Maloney 5
Leeds Rhinos (6) 14
T : Alex Sutcliffe 2, Konrad Hurrell
G : Rhyse Martin
Hooray !!! Catalans have beaten Leeds and managed to find a way to win in the Super League playoffs.
There was plenty to admire in the Dragons performance on Friday night, but this being Catalans we must deal with some other stuff as well.
Micky McIlorum and JoelKins showed a lack of discipline at key points in the match with a high shot followed by lifting the player off the worst offence.
That is on McIlorum's rap sheet, Tomkins was more for a poke (shall we say) at Richie Myler as a tackle was completed.
I didn't mind Myler when he played for us but as the season has gone on he seems to be getting more and more of a moany arse (hahaha see what I did there?!).
Back to the match and we came out of the traps super fast getting 12-0 ahead before Rhinos had really go started.
Of course we switched off and let them in with tries on either side of the half time hooter before Rob Lui gifted a try to David Mead which saw us breath a collective sigh of relief.
The players did too and let Konrad Hurrell score more of less from the restart.
It kept it interesting until Jimmy Maloney walloped a penalty from close to half way which finally put the Yorkshiremen back in their box.
So it's on to St Helens next week and a match we have a better than average record in. So you never know.
A virtually full strength Catalans Dragons side takes on Leeds tomorrow at the HJ Stadium in Warrington.
On paper this will be a good clash but as Sam Williams doesn't play for us anymore (remember him and that game!!) we might need a bit more fortune to get the "W".
Both sides have been up and down this season with consistent performances and results hard to come by.
This could be a cracker or it could be a dud. Expect anything!
The squad
1. David MEAD
3. Samisoni LANGI
4. Israel FOLAU
5. Fouad YAHA
6. James MALONEY
7. Josh DRINKWATER
8. Rémi CASTY
9. Micky McILORUM
10. Sam MOA
11. Matt WHITLEY
12. Joel TOMKINS
13. Benjamin GARCIA
14. Julian BOUSQUET
15. Mickael SIMON
16. Tom DAVIES
19. Mickael GOUDEMAND
21. Paul SEGUIER
24. Jason BAITIERI
25. Arthur MOURGUE
28. Sam KASIANO
29. Sam TOMKINS
Please forgive me the indulgence of featuring the new shirt of my local team Boston Buccaneers from Lincolnshire, England.
However the club has had a tough year with no community rugby to get income and matches for their players.
Rather than mope, the club has been busily working on a charity and 9s shirt which will be raising money for military charities.
This is particularly close to the heart of all at the Buccs after the tragic death of serviceman Scott Stevenson who was a player for the club.
I think you will agree it captures the colours of the club along with the military connections to Lincolnshire, most notably the Lancaster bomber.
I cannot wait to get mine and go to training in it.. Well done BBRLFC.
Its a win in round 2 for Justin and the team.
Toulouse were beaten despite a resilient effort in Perpignan.
Relive the best moments below...
The 2020 Betfred Super League season will be reshaped through November in response to the impact of Covid-19 cases at two clubs.
After Wigan Warriors’ shot at the League Leaders’ Shield on Friday evening, four elimination Play-Offs will determine the make-up of the Grand Final on Friday 27 November.
Following the confirmation yesterday (Monday) that Castleford Tigers are unable to play for at least another week after further positive tests, fixture planning for the remaining three rounds of the regular season was further complicated by news of a number of positive tests at Hull KR who this morning advised that they would not be able to fulfil the remaining three matches.
The Super League and RFL Boards have agreed on a revised format and Operational Rules (respectively), which will see the regular season wrapped up within the next four days, after which the top six teams in the table will qualify for the Play-Offs. The club that finishes seventh – either Salford Red Devils or Huddersfield Giants – will remain on standby.
As a consequence of the change in the Regular Season structure, the previous requirement for a Club to complete a minimum number of games (15) has been removed.
The two remaining Super League fixtures, both Round 20 matches to be played at Emerald Headingley on Friday 6 November, will see Wakefield Trinity and the Red Devils conclude their campaigns at 5.30pm on Sky Sports, which will be followed by the Warriors v Giants at 745pm, a fixture which will determine who wins the League Leaders’ Shield.
The St Helens and Catalans Dragons fixture, scheduled for Thursday 5 November in Perpignan, will be cancelled, with both teams having already qualified for the top six, and due to the imminent national lockdown and heightened concerns over international travel.
The Warriors hold top spot with a winning percentage of 75% after last Friday’s compelling derby victory at St Helens – but will face Giants knowing that defeat would hand the League Leaders’ Shield to Saints for a third consecutive season (on points difference percentage).
The top two teams will sit out the first round of the Play-Offs, while those finishing third to sixth in the table on win percentage move into the elimination matches. Those games will be played on November 12 and 13.
The winners will then face first and second in the semi-finals on November 19 and 20, at home venues, to determine who plays in the Betfred Super League Grand Final at the KCOM Stadium on Friday 27 November.
Super League Head of Commercial Rhodri Jones said: “The revised format to the play-off schedule provides fans and Sky Sports with an extended series of exciting knockout matches to finish the season.
“Nothing has been predictable in this 2020 season and we hope players, supporters and the media will appreciate why we have made this change.
“We believe this revised structure provides the best and fairest way to ensure the two most deserving teams reach the Grand Final.
“I’m sure everyone will be excited about five huge games, set to deliver an even more exciting climax to the 2020 season.”
The five clubs at the bottom of the table after this week’s fixtures will stay on their current win percentages with the remaining fixtures struck out.
Remaining fixtures – all live on Sky Sports and available by the Our League app.
Friday 6 November (Emerald Headingley Stadium).
Wakefield Trinity v Salford Red Devils - 6:30pm CET
Wigan Warriors v Huddersfield Giants - 8:45pm CET
November 12 (Venue TBC) - Play-Offs Round 1 - 8:45pm CET
3rd v 6th
November 13 (Venue TBC) – Play-Offs Round 1 - 8:45pm CET
4th v 5th
November 19 – Semi-Finals (Venue of 1st)
1st v lowest-placed Play-Off winner
November 20 – Semi-Finals (Venue of 2nd)
2nd v highest-placed Play-Off winner
Friday 27 November
Betfred Super League Grand Final (KCOM Stadium, Hull)
Elite 1 Championship Results (October 31/November 1)
Limoux 22-12 St Esteve
Carcassonne 37-4 Albi
Villeneuve P-P Palau
Toulouse 26-24 St Gaudens
Avignon P-P Lezignan
Find out all you need to know at Love Rugby League by clicking here for this weeks round up.
Limoux (12) 22
T : Torres, A. Bourrel, M. Peault, P.L. Bourrel
G : Torreilles 3
St-Estève XIII Catalan (12) 12
T : R. Khedimi, Zafra
G : Brochon 2
With a number of clubs having strengthened, Elite 1 is poised to be a great competition this season.
St Esteve lost their opening match against the Grizzlies despite having been level at half time.
Salford Red Devils (6) 42
T : Krisnan Inu 3, Rhys Williams, Tui Lolohea 2, Kallum Watkins
G : Krisnan Inu 7
Catalans Dragons (18) 24
T : Paul Séguier, Tom Davies, Sam Kasiano, David Mead
G : James Maloney 3, Arthur Mourgue
A strong first half performance was followed by a tailing off in the second half as Salford came back to give us a bit of a chasing.
Look, we are so over this season and the challenges in getting the games done that we wont be moaning about the coach or the players.
It's a miracle we are where we are and let's leave it at that.
