Remi Casty: Catalans Dragons captain released after 14 seasons with club

Remi Casty captained Catalans Dragons to their historic 2018 Challenge Cup title win

Catalans Dragons captain Remi Casty has been released by the Super League club after 14 seasons at the Perpignan side.

After joining in 2006 for the Dragons' inaugural Super League season, Casty made 336 appearances for the club.

He spent a year with NRL side Sydney Roosters in 2014, winning a minor Premiership before returning to lead Dragons to Challenge Cup glory in 2018.

"It was a huge pleasure to play for the Catalans Dragons. I grew up there as a man and a player," said Casty, 35.

"I would like to thank all the employees who work at the club, all the players I played with, all the coaching and medical staff I worked with, the sponsors and of course all the fans who have been amazing during all my time at the club."

'Extremely difficult decision'

In his Super League career, Casty scored 34 tries for the Dragons and was twice named in the annual Dream Team in 2012 and 2018.

He captained Catalans to their historic victory over Warrington Wolves in the 2018 Challenge Cup final at Wembley, as the Dragons became the first non-English club to win the competition.

During his one-year spell with the Roosters, he also won the World Club Challenge and made nine NRL appearances.

"This was amongst others an extremely difficult decision," said Dragons head coach Steve McNamara. "Rémi expressed a desire to continue playing which I respect but we, as a club, had to assess the whole situation.

"We are an aging team and we are in the process of readdressing the balance. We need to create some opportunities for our younger players and take into account the current financial situation."