Catalans Dragons 2024 season review
Overview
After reaching the Grand Final in 2023, this year was something of a disaster for the Dragons, who failed to make the play-offs for the first time since 2019.
They started the year in fine fettle, winning seven of their opening eight games to entrench themselves in the upper echelons of the table.
However, a poor run of form between April and June, saw them win just one out of six games, and despite seemingly turning things around with four wins from their next five, there was a second slump to come.
It started in early August with defeat in London, then two weeks later they were destoyed at Magic Weekend by Hull KR. That loss was the first of a four-game sequence, and by the time they won their final two games of the year, it was too little too late.
They finished level on points with 6th-placed St Helens, but the Saints had a far superior points difference to squeeze into the play-offs at Catalans’ expense.
Highs
Catalans were one of the early pacesetters in the league, and their 36-6 demolition of eventual Grand Finalists, Hull KR, in round eight, was the cherry on the cake.
The Dragons were more than a match for anyone on their day. There were only two teams in the competition they failed to beat at least once – Wigan and Leigh – and they beat 2nd-placed Hull KR and 3rd-placed Warrington twice each.
They also kept three opponents scoreless during the year and kept them to below double digits a further four times. Outside of the top six, they were comfortably the best defensive side, and they had a far superior defence to fourth-placed Salford as well.
There was the return of club icon, Sam Tomkins, midway through the year too. He retired at the end of 2023, but made himself available again due to injuries and he’ll go around again in 2025.
Lows
The 12-10 defeat at London in early August was particularly painful and prompted an epic rant from club owner Bernard Guasch.
There was the Magic Weekend mauling against Hull KR as well, plus a 30-2 loss at Leigh, which came completely out of the blue.
Off the field, there was the sacking of Siua Taukeiaho, Jayden Nikorima and Damel Diakhate to contend with. The trio allegedly skipped training to attend a concert in the UK. In the case of Taukeiaho and Diakhate, they didn’t even make an appearance in 2024, but it still must have had a destabilising effect on the team for three players to be dismissed during the campaign.
Injury-wise, big names like Mike McMeeken and Michael McIlorum only managed 12 and nine games respectively, while another England international, Tom Johnstone, broke his leg in July.
Reasons to be positive in 2025
As always seems to be the case with Catalans, there’s a big influx of new arrivals to the south of France in 2025, and some very exciting names are on the list.
Luke Keary, Nick Cotric, Tevita Pangai Junior and Elliott Whitehead are heading up the list of NRL incomings, while Tommy Makinson and Ollie Partington are a pair of big-name Super League players to add to the roster.
Frenchmen Arthur Morgue, Arthur Romano, Theo Fages and Cesar Rouge all established themselves in the side in 2024 as well, and there should be plenty more to come from them next year.
The Dragons will be hoping this year’s seventh-placed finish was just a blip rather than the new norm, so expect them to be right up the top again next year.
My 2024 prediction – 3rd
Final 2024 position – 7th
The Dragons really let me down in 2024 as they went back to their old, inconsistent ways of years gone by. Injuries took their toll in fairness, and I’m expecting them to be comfortably back in the top six next year.
