Catalans Dragons 10-12 St Helens

Dragons Catalans (4) 10

T : Mike McMeeken

G : James Maloney 3

St Helens (6) 12

T : Kevin Naiqama 2

G : Lachlan Coote 2

Dragons : S. Tomkins, Davies, Whare, Landi, Yaha, Maloney, Drinkwater, Dudson, McIlorum, Bousquet, Whitley, McMeeken, Garcia

Subs : Mourgue, Goudemand, J. Tomkins, Kasiano

St Helens : Coote, Makinson, Naiqama, Percival, Grace, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Mata’utia, Batchelor, Knowles

Subs : McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Amor, Paasi, Welsby

Stadium : Old Trafford

Referee : Liam Moore

Attendance :45 177

Catalans Dragons came up narrowly short in their quest to win the Superleague Grand Final.

After surviving early pressure from the defending champions, St Helens, the Catalan side struck first through a Jimmy Maloney penalty. 

Some juggling in goal from Kevin Naiqama saw us behind at the break before Mike McMeeken gave us a narrow lead which we defending until late on when the Fijian crossed again. He was injured in the act of scoring. 

There was a couple of controversial moments. Fouad Yaha looked like scoring before being taken out by Tommy Makinson and in our last attack Sam Tomkins was penalised for an incorrect play the ball. Harsh when you consider he was in a head lock at the time. 

It could and maybe should have been a 2 point chance for Maloney and who knows where extra time would have taken us?

When the dust settles we will review the season in detail. 

But for now we have the terrible prospect of LMS gloating in his column! You don't like us Louie and we don't like you ! 

 

Catalans Dragons 18-30 Huddersfield Giants

It was a case of after the Lord Mayors show as Catalans were beaten at home on the night the League Leaders Shield was presented. 

With a few rotations to the team there was still a great start for the home club who roared into a two score lead backed by jubilant fans. 

But the visitors wouldn't go away and were only 18-12 adrift at the interval. 

The Catalans did not score in the second half whilst the visitors went over three more times to get a 30-18 win. 

Well done to them. 

The evening was dampened but not destroyed as the club presented former players like Remi Casty and Greg Bird who had left the club during lockdown before getting their hands on the silverware. 

Naturally there will be fans of other clubs in the Superleague who find great amusement in the fact we are celebrating this as an achievement, but with last rites being read to a game on its arse by some, we can be part of the solution for rugby league and not the problem. 

Dragons Catalans (18) 0

T : Matt Whitley 2, Matthieu Laguerre

G : James Maloney 3

Huddersfield Giants (12) 0

T : Josh Jones, Louis Senior, Jack Cogger, Olly Ashall-Bott, Matthew English

G : Oliver Russell 5

Dragons : Mourgue, Davies, Laguerre, Whitley, Franco, Maloney, Drinkwater, Dudson, Rougé,  Goudemand, Jullien, Le Cam, Baitieri

Subs : Séguier, Cozza, Dezaria, Brochon

Huddersfield : Ashall-Bott, Cudjoe, Wardle, Leutele, Senior, Russell, Cogger, Wilson, Peats, English, Jones, McQueen, Lawrence

Subs : Greenwood, Trout, Pryce, Peteru

Stadium : Stade Gilbert Brutus

Referee : Tom Grant

Yellow Card : Chris McQueen

The League Leaders Shield: an apology

In previous years, the writers and editors of this website may have given the impression that they thought the League Leaders Shield was a relatively worthless piece of silverware.

Comments such as "the hubcap", "the salad dish", "tin plate" and "won nowt yet" may have lead readers to believe that we were of the opinion that this achievement meant little in the grander scheme of things.

In light of Saturday's remarkable events as the Dragons came from 30-12 down against nearest rivals St Helens to level matters and then go on to win with a dramatic 40-metre drop-goal from the boot of Jimmy Maloney, we now realise this was misguided and the Shield is extremely valuable and an important part of any club's palmarès.

We apologise for any confusion and are happy to clear this matter up.