Catalans Dragons

Jon Wilkin gives worrying verdict for “under pressure” Super League boss

by
Sam Cook
May 16, 2025

Super League pundit Jon Wilkin has assessed the position of one head coach who he’s labelled as “under pressure”, arguing that the next four games are huge for their future.

That head coach is Catalans Dragons’ Steve McNamara, the longest-serving head coach in Super League with the Englishman taking over in Perpignan way back in 2017.

He’s guided the club through their most successful period with a Challenge Cup win and two Grand Final appearances to show but Wilkin has argued that the heavy investment made is not matching up with the results, leaving McNamara “clearly under some pressure”.

Defeat at the hands of St Helens saw Les Dracs slip to their third straight loss in all competitions and their sixth in Super League, but it was the nature of the defeat that was cause for concern.

St Helens, who have been far from excellent themselves in 2025, played Catalans off the park as they won 40-0 and that result has piled the pressure onto McNamara in Wilkin’s view.

“Clearly under some pressure” – Jon Wilkin gives Steve McNamara verdict

With a fixture run of Wigan Warriors, Hull FC, Hull KR and Leigh Leopards, all of whom are top six sides, it is not until Round 16 that Catalans play a bottom-half side when they face Huddersfield.

Admitting that Round 16 is “too far away to be looking forward to”, Wilkin conceded that it is the next game he sees the French side winning but that Catalans must win two of the four to ensure McNamara’s job stability.

“Round 16 for me will be a line in the sand,” Wilkin explained, adding: “I think Steve needs to make it to round 16. For me, that’s huge. He needs to come out two from four of the next four games but round 16 is the next time I see Catalans Dragons winning a game of rugby.”

Wilkin also outlined that one of the only positives from the defeat on Thursday night was that it didn’t happen at the Stade Gilbert Brutus but instead at St Helens’ ground.

“I think Steve’s clearly under some pressure,” he assessed.

“I think the blessing for him is that performance off the back of recent performances has come away from home. I think the atmosphere in France is different to over here isn’t it?

“Those home games carry even more weight. I think the support that Catalans get is amazing. If that performance was delivered in France, I think there’s an amplification of pressure that you won’t get from the performance being here at the Totally Wicked Stadium.”

Super League Man of Steel winner questions Catalans’ effort

After missing the play-offs in 2024, Catalans recruited well for 2025 with four NRL recruits in Nick Cotric, Luke Keary, Tevita Pangai Jr and Elliott Whitehead, as well as the Super league additions of Tommy Makinson and Oliver Partington.

Four of those men played last night and whilst Les Dracs were missing the likes of Benjamin Garcia and Sam Tomkins, they still fielded a very strong team and Wilkin pointed to that recruitment as a reason why Catalans must improve.

He argued: “There’s loads of work to do for the Catalans Dragons because quite clearly they’ve made big signings. Luke Keary’s come out and fired shots at our competition and those those big signings have just not delivered in any way shape or form.”

Former St Helens man Paul Sculthorpe even went on to claim that there was a lack of effort from some players, contradicting what Steve McNamara had said post-match.

The two-time Man of Steel winner said: “He spoke about the effort there. I’d be questioning that. I didn’t see it of some of them players. Effort’s a decision whether you want to do it or not and some of the things that they threw out, like the Romain Navarrette shot on George Whitby. When you’re doing it tough in a game, that’s the last thing you need.

“When you look at Luke Keary’s effort on Alex Walmsley for the last try that’s effort, or lack of effort.”