Sat 22 May: SL: Catalans Dragons v St Helens KO 18:00

[DavidM]

Young Lance in again 

[Futtocks]

[Man of Kent]

The Catalans’ bottom has definitely squeaked here.

[Northern Eel]

All to play for...

[Futtocks]

Grace hasn't had too many chances today, but he's taken that well.

[DavidM]

[Old Frightful]

"Regan Grace is never one to stay down is he?".

Not unless an 8 point try is in the offing perhaps.

Looked like he was just winded when he landed on the ball.

[Futtocks]

Conversion hooked, but there's only a try's difference now with 4 minutes to go. 

[Waynebennettswinger]

3 minutes ago, Old Frightful said:

"Regan Grace is never one to stay down is he?".

Not unless an 8 point try is in the offing perhaps.

Looked like he was just winded when he landed on the ball.

Sad. Clearly injured.

[Man of Kent]

After that you have to say Catalans are serious contenders, particularly as they were without Tomkins and had to play two yoofs at the last minute. 

[Futtocks]

Whew! A tense finish there! Just the kind of situation that so often ends up with a Saints win from a heartbreakingly late try.

[Waynebennettswinger]

Best team won. If Catalans can build on that with consistency then they will be right up there. Great win without their best player.

[Northern Eel]

Seems to me that Catalans discipline has improved to the extent that they can set a formidable platform for the rest of their game. They have always looked to have potential, but it was often stifled by the penalty-ridden pressure they would put on themselves. Now, they look a solid team all over the park and are on a good run.

[DavidM]

Catalans were deserved winners . Saints dug in and gave them a sweat but second best in general 

[Manfred Mann]

Catalans without star attacking full back Sam Tomkins, and blockbusting centre Samisoni Langi, have broken the St Helens unbeaten record.

Although Artur Mourgue did very well at full back, he is really best suited as a halfback, where he will hopefully be playing in 2022.

Catalans are looking like real contenders for a place at Old Trafford.

[Man of Kent]

7 minutes ago, Northern Eel said:

Seems to me that Catalans discipline has improved to the extent that they can set a formidable platform for the rest of their game. They have always looked to have potential, but it was often stifled by the penalty-ridden pressure they would put on themselves. Now, they look a solid team all over the park and are on a good run.

Agree. They seem to have solved their indiscipline. They’re still a physical side but aren’t giving away daft penalties or headhunting sin bins. 

Their effort was put in the right way.

[Just Browny]

Catalans deserved winners. Still not sure what Gil Dudson is doing there, he must be a bit surprised too.

[Futtocks]

You just know that if the Catalans had relapsed into the ill-disciplined garbage play they have served up so often in the past, St Helens would have pounced and won it by at least two clear tries.

[graveyard johnny]

15 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

After that you have to say Catalans are serious contenders, particularly as they were without Tomkins and had to play two yoofs at the last minute. 

whats wrong with englands first choice fb now?

[Manfred Mann]

Alrix da Costa, the indigenous Catalan,  has grown into a very good player. Pity he had to be taken off with injury.

[Manfred Mann]

On 20/05/2021 at 09:02, Davo5 said:

They haven’t shown anything since they came together last year,Tomkins is Catalans best playmaker,shut him down and you shut the Cats down.

How is that observation looking now after tonight's big Catalans win without Sam Tomkins?

[Waynebennettswinger]

1 minute ago, Manfred Mann said:

How is that observation looking now after tonight's big Catalans win without Sam Tomkins?

Well Saints definitely couldn’t shut him down today.

[Waynebennettswinger]

Is Steve McNamara a better coach than he is given credit for? 

[Ullman]

42 minutes ago, Old Frightful said:

Catalans were better than this against Hull FC last time out....

Control and discipline was definitely better than it was today but Saints error rate was so high they couldn't apply any pressure. Catalans deserved the win though and I enjoyed the game, especially as it turned out to be a bit of a tense finish. 

[Rupert Prince]

3 minutes ago, Ullman said:

Control and discipline was definitely better than it was today but Saints error rate was so high they couldn't apply any pressure. Catalans deserved the win though and I enjoyed the game, especially as it turned out to be a bit of a tense finish. 

Catalan played well mostly and just about held on with their game management at the death. Saints were not at all focussed and to be fair it might well have been a difficult operation and journey for them, but Catalan were disrupted too.

All and all then a good day for Warrington...