On Saturday 14th October, the 26th Super League Grand final is to take place at Old Trafford.
The champions will either be the five time winners Wigan Warriors, or Catalan Dragons, who have never won the Grand Final, despite coming so close in 2021 as runners up.
The two sides fought closely all season for the league leaders’ shield, but it was to go to Wigan who narrowly held off Catalan only on points difference. Catalan have had a very strong season under former England boss Steve McNamara, but it has not always been title challenges and Grand Finals for McNamara since he joined the Dragons in 2017.
In fact, in his first season at the club he was faced with the daunting scenario of himself and Catalan being 40 minutes away from dropping out of the Super League having trailed Leigh Centurions at half-time in the one million pound game.
‘We were forty minutes away from not knowing where this club would be,’ McNamara told us ahead of the Grand Final.
‘It is a credit to Leigh. You will see they bounced back and are doing well in Super League, but I’m not sure it would have been the same for ourselves.’
For many Super League teams, the idea of facing the drop is a frightening one, as there is a lot more money in Super League rugby, compare to the lower divisions, which can often make it near impossible for clubs to maintain such a high standard. Once successful rugby clubs, such as Widnes Vikings have shown this in the past, having gone into administration following their exit from the Super League in 2018.
However, for Catalan, times have changed and they have gone on to build and progress greatly as a club since their escape from the drop on 2017.
‘To see us go from that to winning our first every trophy as a club, the Challenge Cup in 2018, being at a Grand Final, playing in the Nou Camp in Barcelona, and now being at our second Grand Final. It’s awesome to see,’ said McNamara.
‘It is through a lot of hard work and dedication from a lot of people; players, staff, everyone involved in our organisation.’
Looking ahead to the final, Steve hopes it can act as a catalyst to the continued growth of Catalan Dragons, as well as rugby league in France.
‘For us to represent France by getting onto big stages like this, and being in l’Equipe in France, getting some headlines in that gets us real traction. Winning this game would really put us on the map by giving us the opportunity to play in the World Club Challenge and then we can decide where we would take that in order to grow the game in France.’
This is clearly more than just a game for not only McNamara and Catalan, but French rugby league on the whole. Will the Dragons be able to overpower Wigan Warriors and become only the fifth team to be crowned Super League champions, or will Wigan show them who’s boss and take their sixth title?
All will be decided on Saturday 14th October at Old Trafford.
