Catalans Dragons Head Coach Steve McNamara has praised how far his side have come since he took charge in 2017.
McNamara took charge from Laurent Frayssinous in 2017, with the club struggling in the Super League. They ended up in the Middle 8s and in the Million Pound Game against Leigh Centurions.
They trailed at half-time in that game, but came back to win. Since then, they have won the Challenge Cup, and lie 80 minutes away from the Super League Grand Final.
McNamara said it was always their aspiration get higher up the table.
He said: “It has been our aspiration to be a top five club. In 2017, we were in the Million Pound Game and 40 minutes away from being in the Championship, because we were trailing at half time.
“Since then, we won the Challenge Cup, we played a match in Barcelona, which felt like a cup final, and now we are 80 minutes away from a Grand Final.
“This is the next step for the team.”
He also believes now is the time for a new name to end up on the Super League trophy. In the past, only four teams- St Helens, Bradford Bulls, Wigan Warriors and Leeds Rhinos- have ever won it.
He added: “It is about time somebody broke that cycle of the same teams winning it. I think it is a blight on our sport that only a handful of teams have won it.
“Especially when you consider one of those teams is in now in the Championship. For us and Hull FC, it is a great chance to break it.”
