Catalans Dragons suffer injury setback as forward sidelined on eve of season

Catalans Dragons have suffered a big injury blow on the eve of the new Super League season, with forward Franck Maria ruled out for three months following surgery.

Two-time France international Maria, who was born in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, made his first-team bow for Catalans in March 2024 against Castleford Tigers.

A product of their youth system, he has so far featured 24 times across all competitions for the Perpignan outfit, with his 16 appearances last term included in that.

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Catalans Dragons suffer injury setback as forward sidelined on eve of season

The last time we saw Maria on the field, he was sent off in Catalans’ Round 25 victory away at Salford Red Devils after a reckless high shot on Emmanuel Waine which left the Papua New Guinean hospitalised.

Maria unsurprisingly received a hefty punishment from the Rugby Football League (RFL) after that dismissal, and was banned for five matches.

Accordingly, having missed the Dragons’ final two Super League games of the 2025 campaign as well as their friendly against Toulouse Olympique last weekend, he had been set to serve the last two games of his suspension.

Those games would have, and still will, come when Joel Tomkins’ side travel to Championship outfit Batley Bulldogs in the Third Round of the Challenge Cup this weekend, and then open up their new Super League season against Huddersfield Giants on February 13.

But through injury, the front-rower will now miss quite a few more games than just those in 2026, with Catalans confirming the news of his injury setback via their club website on Tuesday afternoon.

The Dragons wrote: “Franck Maria has successfully undergone surgery for a herniated disc.

“The French prop is expected to be sidelined for a period of three months.”