THE FINAL LOWDOWN: THE DECIDER

All of the information that you need to know ahead of Friday night’s clash against the Catalans Dragons.

By Jack Robinson

The Brief

Catalans are guaranteed to finish the season in 7^th place, a season that promised much more for the French outfit. We will 100% secure our place in next season’s Betfred Super League with a win, however a London Broncos defeat at Wakefield Trinity will also see us remain in the top flight next season.

The Opposition

The Dragons won one of their opening three games in the 2019 campaign. They opened with a 20-4 defeat to Castleford in West Yorkshire. They followed that with their opening win, a 27-10 win against us in Perpignan, the first meeting between the two sides this season. A second defeat in West Yorkshire followed though, as they lost 22-12 at Wakefield Trinity.

They then won three out of their five games in March. They opened the month with a 23-22 win over the Warrington Wolves in Perpignan, however the following week they were embarrassed at home by the Salford Red Devils, losing 46-0. A 18-16 win over Hull KR in East Yorkshire followed. They made it two wins in a row by defeating the Leeds Rhinos 26-22, in the South of France. They ended the month by losing 42-0 at Wigan.

They opened April by beating the unbeaten league leaders St Helens 18-10, one of only two teams who have beaten the Saints in the league in 2019. The following week they lost 31-30 to Hull FC, before they visited the English capital, for the Easter weekend, and beat the London Broncos 39-6. They returned home to beat the Castleford Tigers 37-16 on Easter Monday and avenge their defeat from earlier on in the season. They ended the month win a 50-14 loss at St Helens.

An almost perfect May saw them win four of their five games in all competitions. They opened the month with a 37-6 away at Hull FC, before progressing in the Challenge Cup the following weekend, beating Doncaster 62-6. A historic game followed for the French side, as they beat the Wigan Warriors 33-16 at the Nou Camp. Their final win of the month was a 25-18 win over Wakefield Trinity. The reigning Challenge Cup holders where then knocked out of the competition, losing 51-8 at Hull FC.

June was a month to forget for them though, as they lost all four games. A 34-4 loss at Warrington saw them lose their second consecutive game, before they were beaten 30-12 at home by the London Broncos. Hull FC them comfortably beat them for the second time in a few weeks, winning 50-10 in France. They ended the month with a 31-12 loss at Leeds.

They won two of out three in July. They opened the month with a 44-10 win over Wakefield Trinity. They then beat us 32-28 at the John Smith’s Stadium, in the second meeting between the two sides this season. They ended the month with a 40-14 defeat at the Salford Red Devils.

Form

Both sides have managed just one win from their last five games coming into this contest.

The first weekend in August saw the Dragons pick up their only win in the last five games, as they beat Challenge Cup winners, Warrington 30-10 in Perpignan. The same weekend, we lost 44-0 to the Leeds Rhinos.

The following weekend, we were beaten 32-12 by the Salford Red Devils. Meanwhile, Leeds continued their form, beating the Dragons 48-8.

The London Broncos then won 17-4 in the South of France, whilst we lost 24-0 to the Castleford Tigers.

Two weeks ago, saw us pick up our only win in the last five, as we beat Hull FC 22-12. The Dragons were beaten 24-6 by Hull KR.

Both teams suffered defeats in the North West last Friday, as we lost 48-6 to St Helens, whilst the Dragons were beaten 46-12 by Wigan.

Key Players

Tony Gigot

Frenchman, Tony Gigot will be leaving the Dragons for the NRL at the end of the season, as Friday night’s visitors prepare to lose one of their key players.

Gigot has played in 24 of the 28 Betfred Super League games for the Dragons so far this season. He has scored eight tries, as well as adding 13 assists. The versatile back has also made 1698 metres, an average gain of 6.48 metres.

He has also kicked five drop-goals for the Perpignan side this season. Gigot has also made 65 tackle busts, as well as 17 clean breaks for his side in 2019.

Lee Gaskell

Our own versatile back, Lee Gaskell, returns to the side after missing last weekend’s game. He has played in 19 of our games so far this season.

Gaskell has scored four tries in 2019, assisting 15 tries for his teammates. He has also made 1479 metres, with an average gain of 7.51 metres per carry. Our number six has also added 179 kicks in general play.

Gaskell has made 58 tackle busts, as well as making 14 clean breaks. He has also made 331 tackles.

Key Battle

Greg Bird v Michael Lawrence

Whilst there will be key battles all over the pitch this weekend, the big one down the middle could very well be the biggest one of them all.

Michael Lawrence has played in all but two of our games this season, whilst the soon to be retired Greg Bird has played in 14 of the Dragons’ 28. Bird has scored twice for the Dragons this season, whilst Lawrence has scored once for us.

Bird has made 1287 metres so far this season, with an average gain of 7.07 metres per carry. Meanwhile, Lawrence has made 2003, with an average gain of 6.46 metres.

Lawrence has also made 865 tackles, compared to Bird’s 229. However, Lawrence has missed 32 tackles, which is two more than Bird’s 30.

Previous Meetings

The two sides have met twice already so far this season, with the French side winning both meetings, one either side of the English Channel.

We took the lead in the first game in the 6^th minute. Matt Frawley saw a gap and ran through it to score under the sticks and give us the lead. Izaac Farrell converted the try to give us an early 6-0 lead. The Dragons responded ten minutes later. Brayden Wiliame touching down after a kick through. Sam Tomkins’ conversion levelled the scores at 6-6. Wiliame grabbed his second three minutes later. The Dragons pinched the ball in a one-on-one steal and Wiliame strolled in at the left corner to give them the lead. Tomkins’ conversion extended it to 12-6, before he added a penalty to make it 14-6. Tomkins then turned provider for Catalans’ third try, four minutes before the break. His cut-out pass found Lewis Tierney and he forced his way over. The unsuccessful conversion meant it remained a two try lead.

A penalty three minutes into the second half made it 20-6. A high bomb then resulted in confusion in the Giants defence, the ball eventually bouncing into Tomkins’ hands and he scored, before converting his own try, to make it 26-6 with just over ten minutes left. We grabbed our second try shortly before the end of the game, Oliver Roberts scoring after a kick through by Frawley. The try wasn’t converted. Matty Smith kicked a late drop-goal for Catalans, which meant that the game ended 27-10 to the Catalans Dragons in the South of France.

The second meeting between the two was at the John Smith’s Stadium just under two months ago.

The visitors took an 8^th minute lead, Sam Tomkins step fooling our defence as he went over under the sticks, converting his own try for 6-0. He added his second try seven minutes later by getting on the end of a Tony Gigot grubber kick, once again converting his own try for 12-0. We responded in the 22^nd minute, Innes Senior going over under pressure in the left corner. Jake Wardle converting from the left touchline for 12-6. Brayden Williame then scored in the 27^th minute, after collecting a pass from Tomkins. He missed the conversion, 16-6. Tomkins then competed his hattrick in the 34^th minute after collecting a pass from dummy half, going over on the left-hand side. This time he added the extra two points, 22-6. We got one back two minutes before the break, Jake Wardle touching down Tom Holmes’ grubber, before converting his own try for 22-12.

The Dragons extended their lead in the 52^nd minute, Tomkins offloading to Jodie Broughton and he slid over in the left corner. Tomkins missed the conversion, 26-12. The Dragons went over again seven minutes later, going down the short-side Williame found Broughton, who forced his way over for his second try. Tomkins adding the extra two for 32-12. We pulled one back in the 62^nd minute, a chip over the top not dealt with, Matt Frawley patting the ball back for Darnell McIntosh to score. Wardle added the extra two for 32-18. Lee Gaskell then added another nine minutes from time, holding off a few tackles before throwing a dummy to go over in the right corner. Wardle missed the conversion, 32-22. Innes Senior then added another try, two minutes from time, going over in the left corner. Wardle added the extra two but it wasn’t enough, as we were beaten 32-28 by the French side.