Catalan Dragons

[Evil Homer]

Fair call, not going to pretend to know much about the French Union/league relationship. I suppose I'm just thinking logically that where could he go being a gun league player in France? Play for the French in Internationals infront of 300 people for a pie and coke after the game. Or get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to play against the English at sold out mega stadiums. Could be totally wrong, just my line of thinking.

Anyways was super impressed watching him, looks like a natural league player, was shocked when I googled him to see he was only 18. Again my ignorance might have lead me to say bring him down here, he has obviously learnt his skills over there and that's produced something pretty special.

Lol what, the French don't play in front of 300 people, France has two professional leagues in addition to Catalans and Toulouse who play in the English structure and even the smallest teams in the lowest division would get bigger crowds than 300. You definitely do need to do some research there.

French juniors in the NRL systems is something that has been done quite a bit though, Catalans sent one of their U19s team to play for the Roosters in SG Ball last year and a couple of other blokes have taken it upon themselves to go over, Tony Gigot spent a year in Cronulla's reserve grade as a youngster and the likes of Benjamin Jullien and Ben Garcia have spent time with Brisbane, Garcia is currently at Penrith and will probably crack first grade at some point if he sticks around long enough. I doubt Albert would ever be allowed to leave though as he's way too valuable to Catalans.

 

[jim_57]

Not sure why so many Aussies seem to think this is an issue, no French RL players have been poached by Union since about 2005. Since Catalans entered Super League the flow has been almost exclusively the other way.

Albert is a gun though, the big winger Fouad Yaha is another good prospect at 19.

Wouldnt mind seeing him picked up by an NRL club. Really hope he lives up to his potential, a genuine world class French halfback backed up by a strong national team could really put French RL back on the map in the next 5-10 years. Having a strong French team back in International RL would be a massive watershed moment IMO.

 

[PaulyTom]

Go Catalans. By far my favourite super league team. Would love to go to France one day to catch a game.

 

[Storm13]

Even players like Maria who's been in and out of the side has looked really good lately. DaCosta and Navarette have looked good also.

U19's lost their first game to St Helens who also have a young Frenchmen in their side. Think the Catalans U19 side will be the catalyst for more French player going over to England if they don't pick up a contract with the senior side.

Will Toulouse look to follow the same model?

 

[JasonE]

Ben Garcia has signed a two and a half year deal with Catalan Dragons.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

Not sure why so many Aussies seem to think this is an issue, no French RL players have been poached by Union since about 2005. Since Catalans entered Super League the flow has been almost exclusively the other way.
.

Poached maybe not, but just drawn to union over league - many, many, many. It is reassuring to meet young blokes that chose to play league despite huge union presence in places like Toulon. That's a good sign.

The resilience of league in France in the face of union and under some very questionnable leadership over the years has been nothing short of heroic.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

Catalans has a very strong team at the moment, although they have several top players out with injury.

To win the Super League against Hull FC --- which is the top team in Super League right now -- the Catalans need to get some of those injured players back, and drop Pat Richards (whose goal kicking has been terrible this year) and Willie Mason (who is out of condition and makes no impact). Todd Carney can kick for goal, assuming that he is not carrying an injury.

The best Catalans team would be:

Tony Gigot

Jody Broughton, Vincent Duport, Krisnan Inu, Fouad Yaha

Todd Carney
Richie Myler

Jason Baitieri
Louis Anderson, Glenn Stewart
Dave Taylor, Eloi Pelissier, Remi Casty

Interchange: Justin Horo, Julien Bousquet, Antoni Maria, Paul Aiton,

Reserves: Benjamin Garcia, Thomas Bosc, Olivier Elima, Lucas Albert, Greg Mounis, Romain Navarrete, Pat Richards, Willie Mason

 

[adamkungl]

Yeah looks like they are missing Myler at the moment, and Gigot in the cup game. Bosc or Albert over Aiton in that lineup imo

 

[The Winners]

Seriously why do they bother with teams outside of northern England.
No crowds and a team full of Aussies is Catilans.
The same can be said of the Storm in the NRL.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Seriously why do they bother with teams outside of northern England.
No crowds and a team full of Aussies is Catilans.
The same can be said of the Storm in the NRL.

If they got rid of every sporting team on the planet that was "full of Aussies" VFL wouldn't exist.





Actually sounds like a fair idea.

 

[The Winners]

Seriously why do they bother with teams outside the north of England.
No crowds and a team full of Aussies is Catilans.
Same goes for the Storm in the NRL.

If they got rid of every sporting team on the planet that was "full of Aussies" VFL wouldn't exist.





Actually sounds like a fair idea.

Why would you get rid of teams in Australia that are full of Aussies.
Sounds like a typical harebrained rugby thing to say.
What affinity with Australia do the people of of Catilans have with Australia.
Why pretend the sport is bigger than it actually is by have a team in an area that wouldn't know NRL exists.

 

[jim_57]

1 point for trying.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

The people of "Catilans"?

Hmm I guess you'd have to go back to the 1930s to when they started playing rugby league. I wonder why they did that when they'd probably never even seen a game of NRL on the telly? It's mental isn't it.

Maybe the question you should be asking is why VFL pretends it's bigger than it is by trying to play in NSW and Qld. What affinity do New South Walesers and Queenslandians have with Victoriania.

 

[adamkungl]

Yawn... Mods please boot illiterate Victorians from International forum.

Maybe there can be a new forum for the ALF world cup?

 

[adamkungl]

Straight up robbed in the Wakefield game.

 

[Storm13]

It looked like it went through, that's twice now this has occurred against Catalans this season?

Just by watching the highlights Albert looked really good especially that tackle he made at the start and also Yaha seems to be looking more like a top winger every game he plays.

 

[adamkungl]

Not only the Richards non-goal wtf, Yaha was incorrectly called a forward pass just before half time.

Do they need taller posts or something, very odd situation

 

[The Winners]

Does this team still attract very small crowds.

 

[CC_Roosters]

^^^Seriously mods boot this troll please

 

[nzwarriorskuz]

^^^Seriously mods boot this troll please

+1

Does this team still attract very small crowds.

Is your poor excuse for a sport (Aussie rules) even played professionally in France? -5 for your knowledge on the Catilans... who are they again?? and hair brained rugby fans so you are having a go at union as well. Seriously get a life.