
Steve McNamara has named a 24-man squad for Catalans Dragons’ first and last game of the pre-season with the French outfit taking on Championship side Toulouse Olympique.
Catalans have not played in a pre-season game yet but that changes this weekend with the Dragons facing Toulouse Olympique at the Stade Gilbert Brutus on Saturday.
There have been huge changes at the Perpignan club as revealed when they announced their squad numbers with captain Benjamin Garcia seemingly switching from loose forward to hooker to accommodate new signing Oliver Partington and help replace the departed Micky McIlorum.
Fans will get a chance to see a few of the new signings this weekend, however, neither Tommy Makinson nor Elliott Whitehead will play with the former not risked and the latter still suspended from his final game for Canberra Raiders in the NRL.
Whitehead saw his NRL career cut short by one game when he was handed a three-game ban in the penultimate round of the season. That ban carries over meaning he misses this friendly and will miss the Challenge Cup tie the following week against Halifax Panthers.
As for Tommy Makinson, he is one of five players who Catalans will miss out with the winger, Jordan Dezaria, Matthieu Laguerre and Tanguy Zenon left out with “no risks taken” by the Dragons. Meanwhile, Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet is listed as injured and therefore also misses out.
𝗟𝗘 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣𝗘 ⚔️
𝑃𝑟𝑒́𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒́ 𝑝𝑎𝑟 𝐺𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝𝑒 𝑃𝑒𝑦𝑟𝑜𝑡 𝐴𝑢𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑜𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑠
Steve McNamara a dévoilé un groupe de 24 joueurs pour affronter @TOXIII en match de préparation.🇫🇷 https://t.co/RHRxPm4P1b
🇬🇧 https://t.co/O33r6Mfg41 pic.twitter.com/E90EqEWmKy— Dragons Catalans (@DragonsOfficiel) January 30, 2025
Whilst we won’t see Makinson, there are possible debuts for signings Nick Cotric, Luke Keary, Tevita Pangai Jr and Oliver Partington whilst 2024 mid-season signing Reimis Smith is also named.
Reserve team players Leo Darrelatour and Timeo Portier are also named in Steve McNamara’s squad.
Catalans Dragons 24-Man squad to face Toulouse Olympique
1. Sam TOMKINS
3. Arthur ROMANO
4. Reimis SMITH
5. Nick COTRIC
6. Luke KEARY
7. Arthur MOURGUE
8. Tevita PANGAI
9. Benjamin GARCIA
10. Julian BOUSQUET
11. Tariq SIMS
13. Oliver PARTINGTON
14. Alrix DA COSTA
15. Chris SATAE
16. Romain NAVARRETE
17. Bayley SIRONEN
18. César ROUGÉ
19. Paul SÉGUIER
21. Théo FAGES
22. Fouad YAHA
24. Franck MARIA
27. Yacine BEN ABDESLEM
28. Clément MARTIN
Léo DARRELATOUR
Timéo PORTIER
