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Catalans Dragons\u2019 head coach Joel Tomkins has disagreed with a pivotal refereeing decision made by Aaron Moore in his sides\u2019 18-6 defeat to Huddersfield Giants.<\/p>\n
His side were well-beaten throughout the game<\/a>, with the Giants relentless defence, particularly in the second half, keeping Catalans locked into their own half and not allowing for any field position to be made.\u00a0<\/p>\n Bayley Sironen, who was sin binned in the first half for a high tackle on Giants prop Matty English, scored the Dragons only try of the game. Tommy Makinson patted down a Theo Fages cross-field kick to allow the back rower to score.\u00a0<\/p>\n Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Tomkins questioned referee Moore\u2019s decision to penalise his side for being offside on their own line. At that point in the game, Catalans were 12-6 down and after the Giants added a penalty goal, it became a two-score game and the Dragons were chasing from that point.\u00a0<\/p>\n Overall, he admitted that his side were just not good enough, but that the offside decision was a game-changer.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m disappointed,\u201d said Tomkins. \u201cI thought we dominated the first 20 minutes. I thought we defended well, but that\u2019s probably the story of our year in a lot of ways.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe just shot ourselves in the foot. We gave them two seven-tackle sets when we were in good field position and building pressure and then whenever we created opportunities we either came up with an error or a seven-tackle set.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSecond half we started building again, got the game to 12-6, there\u2019s a decision at 12-6 to give a penalty against us for offside on our line. Mate, if you go back and watch that and freeze it when he plays the ball, we\u2019re not offside. So, I don\u2019t know where it comes from but that kills the game off for us, it\u2019s 14-6 at that point.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n With six games left of the season, Catalans\u2019 season is over and they will now have one eye on 2026, as they start to build combinations that they didn\u2019t previously get the chance to.\u00a0<\/p>\n Catalans Dragons will have more than a dozen players leave the club at the end of the season.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tongan international Tevita Pangai Jr will be one of 14 players that will be exiting the Stade Gilbert Brutus at the season\u2019s end.\u00a0<\/p>\n The 29-year-old has missed the last two with club captain Ben Garcia playing in the second row. Pangai Jr is not thought to be injured, instead it is the Dragons using members of their squad that will be with them next season, and dropping the outgoing players. \u00a0<\/p>\n Tomkins was asked what he is looking to get out of the remaining half-dozen fixtures, and how, if they fail to improve, it could be a long end to the season.<\/p>\n He replied: \u201cSome personal pride, some self-motivation. It\u2019s difficult. We\u2019ve not got anything to play for as such. We\u2019re not going to make the playoffs. There are 14 players leaving the club at the end of the year so it\u2019s probably on the players to find their own motivation. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s my job as a coach to bring that out in players and I\u2019ll certainly be trying to do that, but there\u2019s no doubt about it there\u2019s a long six weeks in front of us if we don\u2019t fix up some of the things that we did today.\u201d<\/p>\n All smiles for the Huddersfield Giants! \ud83d\ude4c pic.twitter.com\/weeSFYHwyD<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Sky Sports Rugby League (@SkySportsRL) August 9, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1753331296_223_srl-logo.png\"\/){kind=logo}
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