McNamara concerned about fixture congestion

Catalans Dragons Head Coach Steve McNamara has admitted he is concerned about the effects of re-arranged fixtures on his team.

The French side will have two games to re-arrange. Their fixture at Wakefield Trinity, which was called off because of Storm Ciara and their trip to St Helens, which was called off because of Saints’ commitments in the World Club Challenge.

Speaking after his side’s last gasp win over Hull FC, he said: “It’s going to be difficult.

“No doubt it’s going to be difficult. You look at the fixture list, and try and work out where you’re going to put extra fixtures in, it’s nigh on impossible.

“Again, it’s a league season, where there’s no blank weekends, and yet there’s rearranged games for Challenge Cup and World Club Challenge, and now for the weather.

“We’ll find a way, we have to find a way, but it will cause some concern later in the year.”

McNamara reserved praise for Israel Folau during the game, who’s one-handed catch set up the winning play for the Dragons.

He added: “He is a special player; it was a special catch.

“I thought we under-used him during the game, I thought we could’ve used him more, I thought he was solid today, without being spectacular.

“But, as I say, he did come up with a really big play at the end there, to give us a last chance.”