Catalans Dragons v Salford Red Devils: Super League Sky Live preview
Last Updated: 21/07/18 4:58pm
Catalans Dragons will confirm Super League survival with a win against Salford in France on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Action from 5pm.
Catalans coach Steve McNamara says the memory of last year's agonising brush with relegation will help drive his players in their desperate bid to avoid another nerve-jangling spell in the Super 8s Qualifiers.
The former England boss arrived in Perpignan last year 19 rounds into the regular season with the Dragons already deep in trouble in the bottom four of Betfred Super League and was unable to prevent them appearing in the dreaded Million-Pound Game.
The Catalans were 40 minutes away from relegation to the Championship as they trailed Leigh 6-4 at half-time in the decider at the Sports Village and only a strong second-half performance enabled them to preserve their top-flight status.
The French club have spent most of the 2018 season in familiar territory in the bottom four but a run of six wins from seven matches lifted them into the top eight and last week's draw at Warrington edged them closer to safety.
A win over Salford, who are already confirmed in the bottom four, at Stade Gilbert Brutus on Saturday, will ensure their survival with a game to spare and McNamara is desperate to get the job done.
"No one wants to go through that," McNamara said. "Really seasoned professionals like Greg Bird will tell you that he's never experienced pressure like that and he's played at the highest level with New South Wales and Australia.
"Lewis Tierney has been involved in Challenge Cup finals and Grand Finals with Wigan and he literally couldn't sleep for a week.
"It's a serious situation for anyone involved in that and it's not just the Million-Pound Game, all the other games (in the Qualifiers) are very difficult, they are very cagey affairs.
"I know it brings excitement for people from the outside but internally it's a complete nightmare.
"We need to avoid it at all costs, that's why all of us at the minute are fighting to get into the top eight.
"We've got momentum now and you'd like to sit back and enjoy the run a little bit more but you can't because the stakes are so high."
It is that sole focus on their perilous league position that has pushed the French club's Wembley bid firmly to the back of their minds.
The Catalans are 80 minutes away from a second Challenge Cup final appearance but their semi-final against St Helens at Bolton on Sunday, August 5, will only come into their thoughts once they get next week's league game at Wigan out of the way.
"It's a really nice thing to have on the horizon but it would be even nicer if we could go into that semi-final, if not carefree, with a lot less on our minds," McNamara said.
"There are two games to go before we get to that so we have no interest in it whatsoever."
The Dragons have winger Jodie Brought back from injury while Salford are boosted by the return of full-back Niall Evalds, who has missed the last two months with a broken leg.
Catalans 19-man squad: David Mead, Jodie Broughton, Brayden Wiliame, Fouad Yaha, Samisoni Langi, Remi Casty, Sam Moa, Louis Anderson, Benjamin Garcia, Greg Bird, Julian Bousquet, Mika Simon, Jason Baitieri, Michael McIlorum, Lewis Tierney, Benjamin Jullien, Tony Gigot, Josh Drinkwater, Kenny Edwards.
Salford 19-man squad: Junior Sa'u, Niall Evalds, Rob Lui, Craig Kopczak, Josh Jones, Mark Flanagan, Lama Tasi, Ryan Lannon, Tyrone McCarthy, Ben Nakubuwai, Josh Wood, Derrell Olpherts, Lee Mossop, Jake Bibby, Levy Nzoungou, Daniel Murray, Jake Shorrocks, Ed Chamberlain, Greg Burke.
