Les Catalans needs some imports with NRL experience to stiffen their spine when the chips are down. The French are famous for lots of things, but not for their steely resolve.
There are five tough and talented Frenchmen in the club: Fellous, Fakir, Guisset, Rinaldi and Berthezene. The first two of them are of Moroccan origin and one, Guisset, has extensive experience in NRL and Super League. Even those five need the psychological assurance of experienced Aussies or Kiwis besides them when the going is tough.
Beattie is a good example of a tough Aussie, and he is valuable because of his strong hit ups and defence. If he can become more disciplined he will do better. Chan is a tough Kiwi but an idiot who insists on giving away penalties. He needs to be replaced ASAP. Asotasi, off contract at the end of this year, is a far better player and must be the priority in that regard.
I could never understand why Les Catalans got John Wilson. They would have been much better off taking up one talented Aussie Premier league player on the model of London Broncos (now Harlequins), who bought Luke Dorn and Tyrone Smith from Sydney Roosters Grand Final winning Premier League side with great results (Parramatta, under the bizarre coaching and selection policies of Brian Smith, has stacks of talent in its Premier League side).
I also believe strongly that a smart decision would have been to put Rinaldi at five eighth when Stacey was playing, and keep Rudder on as lock forward, moving him to second row when Mounis came on. Rinaldi would have been more effective at five eighth than hooker and Berthezene could have played at hooker. When I first heard of the decision to recruit Stacey Jones, in June last year, I asked a very knowledgable and talented member of the international development set up what Les Catalans were going to do with Rinaldi. His first reaction was to say:
"In the modern game you can play two half backs as first receiver either side of the ruck. They can make Rinaldi five eighth."
Yet immediately after that conversation last June I was told by President Bernard Guasch that Rinaldi would probably play at No 9. Although club President, Guasch would not make such a decision about players' positions. Thus it has to have been David Waite's decision.
As for Fraysinnous I am convinced again that he is there because he is a favourite of David Waite. There is no other explanation for Frayssinous being chosen in the national squad presented to John Monie last year when he had been omitted from the national team by Mick Aldous in 2004. Mick Potter must surely have seen through Fraysinnous's weaknesses by now, and he needs to cut him out of consideration from now on.
The Catalans forwards are really up to Super League standard, except for Alex Chan. Getting the halves combination right, and finding some quality outside backs is the big problem. Australia has quality outside backs in abundance. Finding some new better ones than some of whom Les Catalans already have, to come over for 2007-8, will help in the short term.
But in the long term the development of young French backs, especially centres, should be the highest priority of Les Catalans and the French rugby league.
Moreover, I think that the RLIF or RLEF has to make its presence felt by organising, with the approval of the French Federation, coaching and refereeing classes for the French competitions using top class SL or NRL coaches and referees. It cannot be a frivolous one day affair, as occurred in a superficial way last November.
The RLIF also has to allocate money for competent Australian rugby league CEOs to come to France to help explain to the current management of Lyon, and to explain to the potential management of future LER clubs in Marseille, Paris, Avignon and Bordeaux, how to create financially viable and youth developing rugby league clubs.
