Bird returns for Dragons crunch

James Gordon

Greg Bird is back from suspension as Catalans Dragons look to save their Super League status at Leigh on Saturday.

An appeal to the disciplinary had the former Kangaroo’s ban reduced to three games after he had initially been ruled out for the rest of the season following a dangerous throw on Ben Heaton in the win over Halifax.

He comes straight back in to Steve McNamara’s 19-man squad as they look to bounce back from last weekend’s home defeat to Widnes that consigned them to the Million Pound Game.

Lambert Belmas is also drafted in, with Alrix Da Costa and Romain Navarrete making way.

Leigh, meanwhile, welcome back four in to their 19-man squad, including influential hooker Mickey Higham.

Samisoni Langi, Cory Paterson and Mitch Brown also return.

Leigh 19-man squad: Fleming, Langi, Maria, Richards, Brown, Crooks, Dawson, Drinkwater, Higham, Paterson, Stewart, Hansen, Tickle, Hampshire, Reynolds, Hood, Hopkins, Clare, Burr.

Catalans 19-man squad: Inu, Wiliame, Yaha, Walsh, Myler, Moa, Aiton, Anderson, Horo, Bird, Bousquet, Garcia, Baitieri, Duport, Thornley, Albert, Margalet, Belmas, Tierney.