TEN years after they arrived, Catalans Dragons are in real danger of losing their Super League status for the first time.

They were protected against relegation for their first three years in the English competition and have since grown steadily.

However, now they find themselves in a scrap for survival, a situation that won’t be entirely familiar to them.

The 2017 campaign started well for them, with a 20-12 opening day win over The Wire being followed by an impressive 14-12 win on the road at Hull FC.

However, a run of six defeats in a row mid-season eventually cost coach Laurent Frayssinous his job, with former England coach Steve McNamara replacing him.

Since his first game in charge, a 24-16 loss at The Halliwell Jones Stadium on June 24, McNamara has won two of his six games in charge.

The latest victory came against London Broncos last week as they began their inaugural Middle 8s campaign with a nervy 20-18 victory.

A possible theory for their downfall is that trips to the Stade Gilbert Brutus simply do not hold the trepidation they used to.

St Helens, Wakefield, Leeds, Huddersfield, Wigan and Castleford have all left Perpignan with two points this season.

Combine that with a predictably shaky away record that has seen them win only three times on the road this season, and not at all since April, and it is easy to see why their top-flight status hangs by a thread.

SQUAD NEWS:

McNamara has made one change to his squad from last week’s game, with flying winger Fouad Yaha replacing the injured Iain Thornley.

They have recently lost influential full-back Tony Gigot, who has had his two-year drugs ban reinstated by the French anti-doping agency.

Dragons squad: Krisnan Inu, Brayden Wiliame, Fouad Yaha, Luke Walsh, Richie Myler, Sam Moa, Paul Aiton, Remi Casty, Louis Anderson, Justin Horo, Greg Bird, Julian Bousquet, Ben Garcia, Jason Baitieri, Vincent Duport, Lucas Albert, Thibaud Margalet, Romain Navarette, Lewis Tierney.

ONE TO WATCH: Richie Myler

The former England international is no stranger to The Halliwell Jones Stadium having enjoyed a successful five-year spell with The Wire that saw him pick up two Challenge Cup winner’s medals.

He left for the south of France in 2015 and, on his last return to Warrington in June, scored twice in a losing effort for the Dragons.

The scrum-half will be on the move again next year having already agreed a three-year deal with Leeds Rhinos.

Myler’s uncanny ability to be at the right place at the right time, whether that’s following up grubber kicks or supporting line breaks, means he is one to watch.