Just seen your attendance for the Leeds game. Absolutely brilliant. It looked vibrant, colourful and so much fun. And that's just the ladies



I love Catalans. Just a shame there aren't 11 more French teams at the same level. What an atmosphere and what passionate supporters. Are the fans watching the game generally new to league or was league always popular pre-Catalans in SL?

And how are the finances? I notice you have put up a lovely new stand, so that suggests the finances are better than was muted in the UK about this time last year when there were a lot of talk of financial troubles?

What about youth development? How is that going? Are there going to be a steady stream of players on the level of Bosc, Raguin, Mounis and Fakir?

No one knows the answers to any of the questions



Not even the English adoptees of the Catalans?

well looking at the amount of french players that have played this year and the new ones that have come through the likes of pellesier, simon, martins, vaccari, ancerly, pala, marginet this shows that there is young players coming through and that there is depth for at leate 1 other french club which i hope happens soon

I wouldn't put martins in that list. Of those Simon and Vaccari are home-grown, while Pellesier was bought in. Pala and Marginet are not established in the squad, they could be the next Guash. There is more we could do to foster French talent. Our hordes of etrangers in our ranks is a big question ark over our French ambitions.

I wouldn't put him anywhere near a Super League squad. Not good enough. Like Gigot.

He's not being retained for next season & is in talks with FCL

Martins or Gigot? Or both?

Seeing as I've got a few minutes...


Impossible to say. I think the Super League aspect gives the floating voter more incentive to go and watch. Better to see the cream of French talent taking on the English than going to see UTC stick 40-odd past a hapless St Gaudens, I reckon.


The eternal question. We don't know, basically. France can be a bit odd to our Anglo-Saxon sensibilities. There's a lot of stock put in patronage and there are so many tiers of local government that all get involved as well. If nobody looks too hard, I'm sure it'll all appear fine.


There are the numbers coming through, but there's a yawning gap between LER football and Super League. Dual registrations haven't been widely used - Gigot to Toulouse and Barthau to Dewsbury are notable examples, even if that's just a case of Gigot finding his level - and more needs to be made of that. Take Marginet, for example. I thought he looked pretty handy yesterday, but when Dureau's fit and if Bosc ever is again, then he's miles away from a start in Super League. He'd do well out of going somewhere and playing a better standard than LER. Fundamentally, while there is just the one Super League side in France, more French players need to be playing in the English leagues. If we can start getting them into clubs to develop than we might be onto something.

The big fella

Not sure about TR bringing through our academy players tbh. His comments about Marginet were really harsh for a young player in his first game against a top side, without an established SO to partner him. Durea has missed lots of kicks for us, that never got brought up in the post-match.
In fact, if we look at it the only coach who has successfully brought players through from our academy was Potter.
I feel that TR is doing well, but with lots of etrangers in the squad. If we don't win anything this year then we'll have nothing to show for it and won't have brought through any of our academy players (and we'll have actively lost some SL prospects in the Bentleys).
I think the pressure is really on TR.

Joel Moon, NZ Warriors centre/half-back, the latest player to be linked with the club. I presume the 8 étrangers self-imposed limit is out the window now then.

I'd like to see Gigot have a punt at SL with a proper coach to develop him. Gigot, Barthau and Guash could do with a proper coach before being written off.

He is to finish the season at TO

Seen enough of Gigot to convince me he ain't good enough. Championship player at best.
The others - you make a fair point.

TG is a funny one, he's a good size lad with good hands and a decent brain but often looks disinterested and plays very lazy. I would be inclined to agree that he is a Championship player and it looks unlikely he will get the opportunity to prove us any different now.

Never recovered from that shocker at Warrington.
Seb Martins - also not good enough - now with TO where he'll probably go quite well.

Also at Toulouse, I'm now of the opinion that Constant Villegas simply ain't good enough. Doesn't seem to want it and is way too timid.

Its hard to say, especially with the way things have gone for the whole team for toulouse this year. When I have seen him I would have to say that technically he is very good.

Just checked his age too and now he is 23 and I guess you could say he is not a young player anymore, I had him down as younger................................

Maybe this year should have been the year for him to step up but last year he was at 6 with wynn, now he is being asked to play 6 with nicholls, he has played centre and wing too, possibly even FB (not all this year). In a way he is one of those players who is a bit of a victim of his versatility also I think its a little unfair to single out anyone from Toulouse the way things are.

It's like he needs telling what to do minute-by-minute. I swear Nathan was telling him when to breathe in and out at times last season.

[url=http://www.catalansdragons.com/index.php?article=2011-07-26_1306Catalans in signing Frenchmen shocker[/url

But will they get a chance to play, what with us retaining superfluous wingers/centres and playing our FRENCH SOs at Prop...
?

No.
But then neither did Mickey Simon at first and look at him now. He's a man-beast.

I think it's getting harder for young French players to make it through the ranks into the squad these days, we have etrangers with French backup, meaning that our academy is our third line of defence and less likely than ever to get a shout.
The french players that do get into the side are the likes of Baitieri and Pelissier, who were both signed to the first team, not the academy and then aren't even played in their best position (both passed over at SO in preference of playing a BR out of position).
It's nice that TR can take us to a decent level in the SL, but I'd rather see us pushing for 8th with a French squad, than 4th with a squad devoid of our French SL quality players.

Ancely got his shot this year.

Bosquet is a fantastic prospect, I dont think I have ever seen a bigger, more mobile forward come out of France.

With a bit of time around our squad he should develop his hands some more.

Made up about this news.

Secured contract extensions with JPB, Gossard and ... Barthau? news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 386555.stm I for one would be pleased to see the lad have a proper shot with a proper coach, but I won't hold my breath as we can sign as many etrangers from Crusaders as we like now ... (edit) now added to the site, extensions for Mounis and Bosc! news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 386555.stm

Secured contract extensions with JPB, Gossard and ... Barthau? news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 386555.stm I for one would be pleased to see the lad have a proper shot with a proper coach, but I won't hold my breath as we can sign as many etrangers from Crusaders as we like now ... (edit) now added to the site, extensions for Mounis and Bosc! news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 386555.stm