The Betfred Super League's crisis club face their biggest test yet on Saturday when the Huddersfield Giants visit top-of-the-table Catalans Dragons at the Stade Gilbert Brutus. Can under-fire Ian Watson pull off a shock win to stave off talk of his job being at risk?
Here is everything you need to know about the second night of Round 18 action.
Catalans Dragons v Huddersfield Giants
Where: Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan.
When: 6pm (BST), 7pm (local)
TV: No UK screening
Catalans' last five: Won 28-18 @ Hull FC (Rd 17), Won 38-30 v Leigh (Rd 16), Won 38-4 v Hull KR (Rd 15), Won 46-22 v Wigan (Rd 14), Won 36-6 v Wakefield (Rd 13)
Huddersfield's last five: Lost 6-22 @ Wigan (Rd 17), Lost 0-54 @ Leeds (Rd 16), Lost 26-30 @ Warrington (Rd 15), Lost 6-48 v St Helens (Rd 14), Won 20-4 v Castleford (Rd 13)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Catalans 2/15, Huddersfield 5/1, draw 22/1
Handicap betting (Huddersfield +16.5): Catalans 20/21, Huddersfield 4/5
Milestones:
Sam Tomkins is 10 points away from chalking up 1,500 in his glittering career, while Leroy Cudjoe needs one more game to make it to 350 for the Huddersfield Giants.
Former England winger Jermaine McGillvary is three tries shy of 250 in senior rugby league.
Previous meetings:
Round 9, 2023: Huddersfield Giants 26, Catalans Dragons 14
Round 20, 2022: Catalans Dragons 13, Huddersfield Giants 12
Round 14, 2022: Catalans Dragons 14, Huddersfield Giants 22
Round 7, 2022: Huddersfield Giants 28, Catalans Dragons 12
Round 24, 2021: Catalans Dragons 18, Huddersfield Giants 30
Total Super League meetings: 44 (Catalans 19, Huddersfield 24, one draw)
Catalans Dragons have quietly gone about forming a four-point lead at the top of an otherwise congested Super League table, with their five straight wins coming at a time when the early leaders, Warrington Wolves, have stumbled significantly. Steve McNamara will be eager to wrap up a second League Leaders' Shield in three years as he looks to add a Super League title to the 2018 Challenge Cup success with Les Dracs.
Ian Watson and the Giants just need a win from wherever they can get it right now after a dreadful 2023 so far. The former Salford Red Devils coach has experimented with leaving out Jake Connor and Tui Lolohea over the last few weeks, while Will Pryce sat out the loss to Wigan Warriors last time out. The consensus is that Watson has to work out the best way to get performances out of his key half-backs if he is to turn around his side's fortunes.
Sportsman stat: Huddersfield have won on three of their last four trips to Perpignan, but a Sam Tomkins drop-goal was the difference in this fixture last year as the Dragons won 13-12.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
