Dragons roar back after president's rant

Friday 2nd October 2009

France international Olivier Elima has revealed an ear-bashing from club president Bernard Guasch helped turn around the fortunes of Catalans Dragons, who are just 80 minutes away from a maiden Super League Grand Final.

The Dragons, who take on defending champions Leeds at Headingley for a place at Old Trafford, are on a roll after winning on consecutive weekends at St Helens, Wakefield and Huddersfield.

Elima traces the dramatic transformation in form to his side's surprise home defeat by Wakefield a month ago and said: "That game probably changed everything. There were a few upsets in the board and the president let us know about it in the changing room afterwards."

He added: "He used some harsh words when he spoke to the team. We looked each other in the eye. We weren't happy with him and he wasn't happy with us."

In his vitriolic attack on the players, Guasch accused them of letting the club down and told them they were all free to leave.

The Dragons players responded to the stinging criticism a week later by winning at St Helens to secure their play-off spot and, after gathering momentum in sudden-death victories over Wakefield and Huddersfield, Elima says there is belief in the camp that they can go all the way.

"We went to St Helens just to prove a point, not to the board or the supporters, but to ourselves, that we had a good squad," he said.

"We played for each other and it worked out pretty good. We kept on going, we had the motivation and, now we're only 80 minutes from the final, anything can happen.

"We don't want to be watching Leeds playing St Helens or Wigan in the final. We want to be there. We're not finished yet."