The Guardian

Johnstone turns on the magic as treble leads Dragons to victory

Aaron Bower St James’ Park

The spectacle and the occasion Super League’s Magic Weekend provides always feels like an opportunity for at least one side with Grand Final aspirations to lay down a significant marker every season. On the opening day of this year’s event in Newcastle, Catalans Dragons did exactly that against one of their major rivals for the title.

The Dragons have flirted with a Super League title for a number of years now, perhaps best epitomised by their run to the 2021 Grand Final, where they fell just short against the all-conquering St Helens. But with Saints, the dominant force of recent years, not at their best this year, there is an opening for someone to take full advantage.

Steve McNamara’s side offered a definitive suggestion they could be serious contenders as they moved top of the table before Warrington’s game against Hull FC today.

The standout game of the opening day of Magic was, in the end, somewhat of a formality.

The two sides sitting second and third going into the event were a complete mismatch in the sunshine, with Catalans sweeping Wigan aside courtesy of a dominant and ultimately eye-catching display.

Three tries for the Warriors in the closing stages added a shade of respectability to the scoreline, which the displays of both sides perhaps did not merit.

By that stage, Catalans led 46-8 and were good value for a lead of that size. The star was arguably winger Tom Johnstone, who continued his fine form with a hat-trick to move to the top of the try-scoring charts.

Johnstone has 17 tries in 15 games, and he is one of several players who look more capable than ever under McNamara.

“For 65 minutes it was a really good performance,” McNamara said. “We played pretty much perfect to that point, we showed how to play a big game. It’s a great day for us.”

Wigan led 4-2 in the early stages thanks to Jake Wardle’s try, but by half-time they were 24-8 behind after a dominant display from Catalans.

Former Wigan favourite Sam Tomkins put the Dragons into a lead they would not relinquish with his try, and by the break they had crossed three more times courtesy of Arthur Mourgue, Matt Whitley and Johnstone’s first.

Bevan French clawed the deficit back somewhat before half-time but even at that early stage, the writing was on the wall for a Wigan side who have now lost three of their past four league games.

“Catalans were excellent but we were way off in so many areas,” their coach, Matt Peet, said. “They’re a big team and if you allow them to execute, they punish you. We’ve learned a harsh lesson.”

Any notion of a Warriors comeback was extinguished two minutes after the restart when Johnstone produced a superb solo effort for his second.

Whitley then claimed his second, before Arthur Romano’s try put the result beyond doubt long before the hour mark had arrived. Johnstone completed his hat-trick with a magnificent flying finish.

Catalans arguably took their foot off the gas. That afforded the Warriors a chance to put some respectability on the scoreline as Abbas Miski, Liam Marshall and Morgan Smithies crossed in the final moments, but as Peet admitted, they were not a cause for any cheer given how comprehensively his side had been outplayed by a Catalans side who look every inch title contenders.

‘For 65 minutes it was a really good performance. We played pretty much perfect to that point’ Steve McNamara

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2023-06-04T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-06-04T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://guardian.pressreader.com/article/281921662435249

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