Catalans Dragons are turning up the heat at the top of Super League after a 36-8 roasting of Hull FC in blistering conditions at Stade Gilbert Brutus.
Dragons coach Steve McNamara is grateful for the return of some of his senior players following a stop-start couple of months which has stifled any momentum for his Dragons.
He added, “It’s been a disrupted part of the season, we’ve had two games then a week off, then more games and a week off and it will be a different week again this week for the team.
“We have thirteen players in the French international squad and three players in the England squad and others in the overseas squad.
“It won’t be a normal week again and we have to overcome it better than we did last week.”
The Dragons’ coach had no major injury concerns from the victory over Hull as he prepares his side for their next fixture, a trip to Castleford a week on Sunday.
He added, “I don’t think we’ve suffered anything too bad today; Sam Kasiano has been really sore for a few weeks now with his sternum and Mitchell Pearce picked something up at the end of the game, so we’re just checking them out, but I don’t think there’s anything really serious.”
Last week the Dragons announced contract extensions for two of their players.
Matt Whitley has agreed a deal that will secure his future at the Gilbert Brutus Stadium until the end of the 2024 season.
The 26-year-old backrower joined the club from the Widnes Vikings in 2019 and has already scored 28 tries in 72 appearances for the Dragons.
Fouad Yaha has signed a two-year contract with the club that will also secure his future at the Gilbert Brutus Stadium until the end of the 2024 season.
Yaha, 25, made his Super League debut in 2016. The club’s all-time leading try scorer, he has scored 90 tries in 139 appearances for the club.
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