‘Pressure was mounting’ – Jon Wilkin reacts to Steve McNamara exit and makes Luke Keary point

Jon Wilkin believes Steve McNamara has been a victim of his own success following his Catalans Dragons dismissal. The Sky Sports pundit also believes Luke Keary’s critical comments about Super League proved to be destabilising for the head coach, who was relieved of his duties on Tuesday.

The decision comes on the back of some poor form which started last season, as the Dragons missed out on a play-off spot, and has crept into the 2025 campaign, with the Dragons losing six of their opening 11 league games. However, the 40-0 defeat to St Helens last Thursday proved to be the final straw for club president Bernard Guasch, who has brought McNamara’s time at the club to end after almost eight years in charge.

In that time McNamara won the Challenge Cup and led the club to two Grand Finals, establishing the club as a perennial challenger in Super League. However, those standards have slipped over the last 12 months and he leaves the club sitting eighth in the league table.

Jon Wilkin discusses Catalans Dragons’ decision to part ways with Steve McNamara

“I think Steve created such high expectations for himself and his organisation,” Wilkin told Sky Sports. “We started to talk about Catalans as a top two or three club and we expected them to be near the top of the table and that’s all credit to the hard work that Steve did to get them into that position in the first place.

“In the light of last season’s form, which was poor, they missed the play-offs, and in the light of being knocked out of the Challenge Cup semi-final handsomely by Hull KR, then being destroyed by St Helens last week, you felt like pressure was mounting.

“I will throw this in as well, I think Luke Keary’s comments being critical of the competition were destabilising and Bernard Guasch has a decision to make and he’s made the decision to let Steve go. It’s sad because he’s done an incredible job, he’s well liked, well respected and he’s been the biggest advocate for rugby league in France while he’s been out there coaching.

“Everything in life has a start and a finish and the way sport is is that once the mob decides somebody’s time is up, it’s up.”