Brough is expecting play-off battle with Williams

The Australian, who joined from St George Illawarra in June after the NRL club captured Kiwi superstar Benji Marshall, was pivotal in the French club’s 24-20 play-off victory at Leeds Rhinos.

He scored two tries but organised Catalan well, too, to see them finally deliver their first win at Headingley and set up another crucial eliminator at Huddersfield Giants tomorrow.

The battle between Huddersfield captain Brough and the 23-year-old should be fascinating as both teams fight for the chance to move to within just 80 minutes of a maiden Grand Final.

“He is a smart player,” admitted reigning Man of Steel Brough. “He kicks well, makes good decisions and has been a calming influence on that team.

“A few years ago, Catalan would have been throwing the ball around daft but he’s proved a good signing to stop all that. I thought they played pretty smart play-off rugby against Leeds.

“They kicked long, chased hard and defended tough, all things we didn’t do at Wigan 
(57-4 loss). We got caught short.”

Williams heads back to the NRL with Canberra Raiders at the end of the season and Brough – who returns from a ruptured testicle tomorrow – is intent on making that happen this week.

Third-placed Huddersfield won the League Leaders’ Shield in 2013 yet failed to reach Old Trafford and he admitted: “My main goal now is to get through against Catalan and get to the Grand Final to win it.

“We have sneaked under the radar a bit this year but, in the regular season, we’ve lost fewer games than anyone else in Super League, which is nice to see.

“Everything is now on the line as this is it – no more chances.”

Former Hull FC captain Greg Mackey, 52, has died after a battle against cancer.

The gifted Australian half-back won the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man-of-the-match as the Airlie Birds beat Warrington in the 1991 Premiership final.

Mackey also enjoyed two fine spells with Warrington and played the first season of Super League at Huddersfield in 1996.