Why Catalans Can Win the 2021 Grand Final

Catalans Dragons have achieved a lot in their 15 years as a professional club. They made the Challenge Cup Final in 2007, in just their second year. They reached the play off semi finals in 2009, in just their fourth year. They hold the record attendance for a regular round of Super League. They became the first French team to win the Challenge Cup in 2018.

In 2021, they have stepped it up further. They have won the League Leaders' Shield and, on Thursday, reached their maiden Grand Final. Thursday was a special day for Catalans. Stade Gilbert Brutus was sold out, the atmosphere was febrile, the pyrotechnics, the flags and the 'sang et or' (blood and gold) colours made for a glorious occasion.

So often in the past, when a big occasion has come and the pressure is high, Catalans have faltered. The Steve McNamara coached Dragons are a different beast.

The Building Process

In their 2018 Challenge Cup run, they knocked out Huddersfield, league leaders St Helens and (ultimately) Grand finalists Warrington to win the competition. This was not a fluke. It was a tough run and Catalans upped their game.

In 2019, Catalans faced Wigan at Nou Camp. This was a huge occasion for the club and over 31,000 fans attended. They comprehensively beat Wigan.

In 2020, Catalans played the majority of the season on the road. A disaster, you may think, for a team which historically had a terrible away record. They reached the play off semi finals.

In 2021, they lost players including Remi Casty, Sam Moa, Mikael Simon, Antoni Maria, David Mead, Israel Folau and Lewis Tierney. Some may have though (me included) that Catalans would have struggled, especially with only three new signings.

Instead of struggling, they excelled. Regardless of Saturday’s result, they have already achieved their best ever Super League season.

What has changed?

Of Grand Finals, some say ‘you have to lose one to win one’. That is nonsense. Hull FC made their only Grand Final in 2006. They have never returned. Castleford and Salford are the other teams who have played in one Grand Final and both seem a way off from getting there again.

Warrington have tried on multiple occasions, but lost each of their four title showdowns. Only Wigan, St Helens, Bradford and Leeds have picked up the Super League trophy, so of those winners, as expected, 50% won on their first visit, 50% lost.

Catalans will not be going into this match with the ‘you need to lose one to win one’ falsehood in their mind. You do not know when this opportunity will come again. The playing group don’t have an attitude that accepts defeat easily. Their squad is littered with players who already have Super League winners rings. James Maloney is a serial winner. Dean Whare has played in a World Cup final. Many of the squad have played in a Challenge Cup Final at Wembley and won.

Old Trafford and St Helens will not overawe them. They will not be the proverbial rabbit stuck in the headlights. That is not to say they will win. St Helens are an excellent team and back to back champions. But if Catalans do lose, fear will play no part in that.

Why Catalans Can Win

The squad is filled with experience in big games, so we can be confident the occasion won’t get to Catalans. So let’s turn our attention to the on field action.

Catalans have played St Helens three times this season and won two. When they lost, they were shorn of all of their best players, with several debutants playing. St Helens may be aiming for the ‘three-peat’ but Catalans have recent experience of beating them. There is no reason it cannot be done again.

Catalans have lost four Super League games this season. Two of those defeats came after collecting the League Leaders’ Shield when attentions were turned to the play offs. One of those was to St Helens when a severely weakened squad was fielded.

This is not a side that lose often. As St Helens found out to their cost at the Magic Weekend, it is also not a side who know when they are beaten.

St Helens are favourites to win. I understand why. They have won back to back titles, they are a unrelenting machine. Some bookmakers are offering odds as short as 1/4 for St Helens to win. That hugely undersells Catalans abilities and ignores the strength of their season. Instead, it relies on the mantra that ‘you have to lose one to win one’.

Catalans have a very good chance of further proving that this expression is a meaningless platitude on Saturday night.

Whilst you're here...remember to check out our post looking at why St Helens can win the 2021 Grand Final