McDermott taking positives out of defeat to champions

While the 26-24 loss still hurts, perhaps even more after referees’ manager Stuart Cummings admitted this week Danny McGuire’s disallowed ‘try’ should have been awarded, the football and defensive resilience they produced leaves coach Brian McDermott confident of improving further.

“We are in good spirits after a strong performance at Wigan,” he said, knowing they can close the gap on fifth-place Catalan to just two points if they prevail in France.

“We were disappointed not to get the win but there were plenty of pleasing aspects in our performance and it will be good now to spend some time away together as a group.”

McDermott, who welcomes back England winger Ryan Hall to replace Zak Hardaker after he injured an ankle at Wigan, as well as Jay Pitts and Paul McShane, added: “I was very pleased to hear that Stuart had said what he’d said publicly as he had mentioned it to me privately earlier this week.

“It is a big call for him to admit one of his officials made the wrong call but I think it was the right decision to declare that and it gives creditability to the RFL and all officials. Everyone makes mistakes in the game – players, coaches and officials – but we have to recognise those errors and make sure that they don’t happen again in the future.

“The acknowledgement won’t obviously affect the final result but it is a welcome clarification, especially for the players.”

* Castleford Tigers have signed Wigan prop Ben Davies on a month’s loan with the 21-year-old set for an immediate debut against Bradford Bulls tomorrow.

His arrival comes after the luckless West Yorkshire club lost front-row pair Nick Fozzard and Jacob Emmitt to injury during Wednesday’s loss at Wigan with fellow props Craig Huby and Jonathan Walker already both sidelined for the season and Paul Jackson currently injured too.

Jamie Langley returns to the Bulls squad after missing last week’s game with an ankle injury.

Langley had to leave the field in the game against Leeds but is fit again this week. Also in Mick Potter’s 19-man squad is John Bateman.

Meanwhile, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats entertain St Helens without Australian prop Jarrad Hickey, who has a leg infection, but Aaron Murphy, Paul Johnson, Paul King, James Davey and Chris Dean all return after missing last week’s crushing defeat at Hull KR. Veteran winger Semi Tadulala keeps his place after starting his second spell with the club but Frenchman Sammy Masselot is left out.