Magic Preview: Breathing Fire

Johnstone adding an extra dimension to Catalans out wide

The decision to switch from Yorkshire to Perpignan wasn?t an easy one for Tom Johnstone - but he knows he made the right choice now.

The prolific winger wasn't short of offers when he decided to end an eight-year spell at Wakefield Trinity that yielded almost a try a game.

Taking his young family across the Channel to a new country was a big step, but with the Dragons flying at the start of the season, he settled in quickly to his new surroundings.

'It was a tough decision and took me a long time to make it - I was going back and forwards speaking to players here, Steve McNamara and my partner,' Johnstone explains.

"It was Leah that made the decision to come in the end and I'm over the moon now.

"The last few years have been pretty tough - nothing against Wakefield but sitting near the bottom of the table is never fun and I wasn't playing much because I was injured.

"Now I've managed to string a few games together, I'm enjoying my rugby and the lifestyle, and I couldn't be happier with the decision.

"It was a bit slow at first because we're in a coastal town that's not very populated and that was a bit of a change coming from the outskirts of Leeds.

"We had a couple of months' bad weather but now it's absolutely glorious, the club has been really welcoming to me, and have done everything they could to help the transition. We've all really settled in.

"On the field I couldn't have asked for a better start than winning the first five game straight, and if we hadn't had a few hiccups when we could have handled games better we could have been looking at being undefeated.

"It didn't pan out like that but we've sat down and looked at it in review and hopefully now we can all kick on again."

Next on the Dragons agenda is a Wigan team that they beat 18-10 at the DW Stadium back in March, and one that Johnstone knows will provide difficult opposition.

"They're a class team, really tough to play against and very physical," he adds.

"At the same time they can throw the ball about and have some great individuals that we need to keep an eye on.

"They're the same as us and have some really quick outside backs.

"They had a couple of bad performances that they'll be looking to rectify and we know we'll have to play well.

"But I'm confident that if we start well we can get a result."

PLAYER IN FORM - ADAM KEIGHRAN

The 26-year-old utility back might not have been the most well-known overseas recruit of recent years when he landed at Catalans, but he is already proving to be one of the most shrewd.

With the Dragons suffering injury issues in the playmaking positions Keighran helped their strong start to the season from half-back where he produced a series of influential displays.

Since then he has switched to centre where he has been equally effective, and looks certain to play a key role in Catalans' 2023 fortunes.

ONE TO WATCH - MATT IKUVALU

Catalans have never been afraid to make mid-season signings from Down Under to boost their prospects, and 29-year-old Ikuvalu arrived recently with a strong pedigree.

He made his NRL debut for Sydney Roosters in 2018, but it was a five-try display as a late call-up against North Queensland in 2020 that really caught the eye.

A powerful winger or centre who is a significant try threat close to the line, Ikavalu also featured in the Roosters' 2019 World Club Challenge win over Wigan, playing opposite his new team-mate Tom Davies.

This article is taken from the Magic Weekend programme, copies of which can be ordered online via Curtis Sports. 

Tickets for Magic Weekend at St James' Park are available to purchase online via superleague.co.uk until Friday 2 June and on match day from the Stadium ticket office.