CATALANS DRAGONS will embark upon their 20th campaign in Super League this year with an extra incentive to finally achieve the holy grail of Grand Final glory.
The milestone season would be the perfect time for an historic breakthrough for the French club and coach Steve McNamara has ensured his players are fully aware of the ambitions of passionate supporters at Stade Gilbert Brutus.
He told League Express, “We’re all aware that it is an important year for us. We are still so very young in comparison to our competitors. And although we’ve made incredible progress we are still finding our roots to some extent.
“Most of the clubs we face in England are over 100 years old, so we know where we stand, but at the same time we are incredibly proud of what we have achieved in our first two decades.
“It’s an incredible achievement already but there is so much more to come. There are unique challenges for a French club taking part in an English comp, but we relish that challenge. There is a real fighting spirit here at Catalans; the club will face any odds.”
McNamara explained that the battling nature of French Rugby League is the driving force behind the club, adding: “It was a difficult birth because there was fierce rivalry between the French clubs who were asked to merge (XIII Catalan and St Estève) to put the Dragons together.
“But it’s been a big success. In the short period of time we’ve been around, we’ve been to a couple of Grand Finals and won and lost two Challenge Cup Finals, so there’s plenty to be proud of.
“We make this so clear to players, particularly some from overseas, who may be unaware of the history of French Rugby League. When they arrive we do a detailed presentation on the game here, how it started, the difficulties it has endured and the brief history of Catalans Dragons.
“We tell them some of the good things, and some of the bad things like the perceptions that were created of the game here in recent history.
“We make sure they are fully aware of who we are and what we represent and it’s always good to see the attention that the players give to it.”
Alongside the Dragons’ 20th season, it is the eighth full start for coach McNamara in Perpignan, he is the longest-serving coach in Super League, but there is no sign of him easing off in his relentless pursuit of the main prize.
“I didn’t really know the full extent of the challenge when I joined,” he said.
“That was one of the exciting things about it, there was an element of the unknown coaching a French club in Super League. But it continues to be a superb experience and I am enjoying it as thoroughly now as I did from day one.
“There are so many challenges and there’s never a dull day but I love every minute of it.”
