Catalans Dragons have sacked head coach Steve McNamara and we’ve drawn up a list of candidates who could replace him.
The Englishman has parted ways with Catalans after almost eight years, having taken over midway through the 2017 season and led the Dragons to their first ever Challenge Cup win just a year later.
It’s fair to say that Catalans had their most successful era under Steve McNamara but missing the play-offs in 2024, having made the Grand Final a year prior, paired with the slow start to 2025 has seen him exit the club.
The 40-0 loss to St Helens was ultimately the final straw with owner Bernard Guasch ringing the changes with McNamara now departing the Perpignan club.
It’s unclear what the remainder of 2025 looks like for Catalans, who by no means are out of the play-off picture, but the need to bring in a new head coach is obvious.
We’ve assessed five possible candidates who could get the call including some first time head coaches.
Who could Catalans Dragons hire to replace Steve McNamara?
Justin Holbrook
The former St Helens boss has one of the best resumes of any available coach with Holbrook guiding Saints to a Super League title. He returned Down Under but was axed from Gold Coast, however, his name crops up when any major vacancy opens up, including talks of him for the Perth Bears gig.
With Mal Meninga and Sam Burgess reportedly the front-runners for that, Holbrook could look to Super League for his next coaching gig and Catalans have a very strong relationship with Sydney Roosters, where Holbrook is currently an assistant.
Les Dracs brought in a performance manager from the club for the 2025 season and they also have Luke Keary, the former Sydney half, in their squad who is misfiring. Perhaps Holbrook could be the man to get the best out of him.
Matt King
The former Warrington Wolves man is another on the Sydney Roosters coaching team and another coach who has been linked with some major jobs, including the New South Wales gig before Laurie Daley got it.
King has served as an assistant for Lebanon and was part of the Blues set-up under Michael Maguire but he’s yet to coach his own team and Catalans could provide a perfect opportunity, away from the pressure of the NRL. He also has experience of Super League, albeit in England, but the 44-year-old could be a dark horse option.
Joel Tomkins
Tomkins is set to take over on an interim basis but what’s to say he doesn’t have the credentials to take the job on itself? His younger brother Sam has an immense love of Catalans Dragons and heralds major respect at the club from players and ownership alike, whilst Joel was brought in recently.
With Sam confirming that 2025 will be his final season as a player, he will be looking to his next steps. He worked as part of the England squad when they travelled to France in 2024 and could even feature alongside Joel.
Ben Hornby
Hornby saw out the 2024 season as head coach of the South Sydney Rabbitohs whilst the club waited for Wayne Bennett to arrive so he has miles on the clock in a head coaching role, but taking over at Catalans would be new to him.
He has recently been linked to St Helens with the Red Vee considering options to replace Paul Wellens per reports, suggesting that Super League clubs deem him ready for the role.
He currently works under Bennett at the Bunnies and could be in line to succeed so may not want to risk that, but the pull of working in the South of France and doing something similar to what Sam Burgess has done in terms of learning the ropes in Super League could be appealing.
Ben Gardiner
The Samoa head coach and Penrith Panthers assistant is another to have been linked with St Helens with Penrith-based journalist Peter Lang labelling him as Saints’ “number one target”.
Having worked under Ivan Cleary and with his Samoa contract coming to a close, perhaps Gardiner could be the next NRL assistant to prove himself in Super League in a bid to earn an NRL gig.
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