20/04/2025
LES DRACS are back on track according to coach Steve McNamara after Catalans Dragons climbed to seventh in the Super League table following a resounding win over struggling Salford (writes STEVE BRADY).
A 38-10 victory at Stade Gilbert Brutus on Saturday night saw the French club leapfrog Warrington and Wakefield and begin to put pressure on the top six for the first time this season.
A win over the cash-strapped and salary cap-restricted Red Devils was expected in Perpignan but coach McNamara was pleased with the “progression” he is finally seeing from his team.
He said, “We’re beginning to build from a difficult start to the season and we’re moving up the table and 80 minutes from a potential return to Wembley.
“Of course I am pleased with the progression but I know there is much more to come from us yet.”
McNamara was aware of the potential banana-skin of Saturday’s game and was satisfied that his players had stuck to the game plan.
He added, “The start of the match was very important for us, matches against Salford are always difficult, we needed to be very physical today. The start of the second half was crucial and I thought we got back in control.
“I’m not pleased about the two late tries we conceded but it’s been little by little so far this season and we have taken another step forward.
“The progression for the team continues. Our next game against Wakefield is another difficult fixture.”
A hat-trick of tries for winger Tommy Makinson boosted the scoreline for Catalans but McNamara felt they could and should have scored more against Salford.
He said, “We left lots of points out there tonight, our ex*****on was poor at certain stages where we would normally have put more points on the scoreboard which should have looked like 40-0 as opposed to 38-10, that was the disappointment for me. There were missed opportunities for us and opportunities given to Salford to score their points.
“Tommy is a good player, he’s a good person and he scores tries so hopefully he continues to do that, it was good to see him score his 1500th career points here in style with a hat-trick.
“He’s been working so hard to get off the mark here and he took his chances well.
“After our poor start to the season we needed to find a way to fight into some sort of position in the competition. We’ve done that now and we’re looking forward to next week’s game.”
McNamara will be boosted by the return of up to four first-teamers for Saturday’s home clash with Trinity, adding, “Elliott Whitehead will be back for us (after his two-match suspension), Nick Cotric and Reimis Smith too, maybe even Sam Tomkins.
“Reimis felt a problem with his calf in the warm-up but he should be okay for next week. We took him out as a precaution and Fouad Yaha stepped in.
“We will welcome the senior players back but at the same time we have to give credit to the young players who have really stepped up for us in the past couple of weeks.”
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