22 Apr 2026

Getting to know: Catalans Dragons

Catalans Dragons aim to take down a second table-topping side in as many weeks as Ryan Sheridan's side travel to take on Leeds Rhinos at AMT Headingley this Friday night, kick off 8pm.

Here's a look closer look at the Dragons:

Key Playmakers

Charlie Staines

Club Apps: 10 | Club Tries: 6

Very few players have had the immediate impact that full back Staines has had on Super League inside of ten rounds.

A product of Penrith Panthers' infamous youth pathway, Staines broke onto the scene with four tries against Cronulla on his NRL debut before mixing between the full back and wing positions as he lifted his first NRL Grand Final title. Later moving to Wests Tigers from 2023, he went from being one of the side's top try scorers in 2024 to playing in the Reserves side in 2025 - prompting him to commit to the Dragons on a two year deal. As expected, Staines has fitted into the Catalans outfit as a key attacking threat, thanks to incredible speed and agility. Besides being the side's leading try scorer in all competitions, he also tops the Dragons' attacking stats for carries, metres, offloads and post-contact metres during the Super League campaign.

Toby Sexton

Club Apps: 11 | Club Tries: 6

Whilst the Dragons faithful would like to keep him for longer than 2026, Sexton is making his impact count whilst he is wearing Catalans colours.

The half back joined the Dragons after losing his place at Canterbury Bulldogs to Lachlan Galvin, but although an NRL return with Perth Bears looms on the horizon for 2027, he remains committed to the Catalans cause. Besides being the side's joint leading try scorer with six this year, he is also fifth in total points scored amongst the Super League competition and is forming a close bond with Lewis Dodd as the Dragon's new spine continues to click. After leading the sides around the field in last week's dominant win over Warrington, he will be key should the club leave Leeds with a result.

Kruise Leeming

Club Apps: 11 | Club Tries: 1

Back facing his former club for the first time as a Catalans player, Kruise Leeming is joining Sexton in creating a closely knit spine.

A swap deal with Oli Partington saw the hooker leave Wigan - where he helped the club lift four trophies between 2023 and 2024 - on loan for the season, despite the club already picking up Harvey Wilson from Salford. So far, the dynamic is working well alongside Alrix Da Costa as the Dragons vary the minutes between the trio and utilise loose forward as an option to add in an extra pivot. Leeming's impact is felt particularly in defence, where he has the most tackles out of any Dragons player in 2026.

Zac Lipowicz

Club Apps: 11 | Club Tries: 5

Undroppable since arriving from Penrith in the off-season, Lipowicz has been another gem unearthed by the Dragons to elevate their back row options.

The Polish international played once for the Panthers' NRL side in three years, during which he accrued 48 games in the NSW Cup competition for the club's Reserves outfit, but since his arrival in Perpignan he has set the standard for second rowers in 2026. Only Toulouse's Mathieu Jussaume has played more minutes than Lipowicz, who is second behind Junior Nsemba for carries and metres made by second rowers in Super League this year. Defensively, he ranks in the competition's top three back rowers with 257 tackles - making him a handful on both sides of the ball.