CATALANS Dragons have left out a club legend for this afternoon’s Ladbrokes Challenge Cup clash with Whitehaven.

French international prop forward Remi Casty has played 250 games in two spells for the Dragons and in between had a short spell in 2014 with the Sydney Roosters.

Casty, 33, first joined the Dragons in 2006 and before he left in 2013 had chalked up 163 appearances. Since re-signing in 2015 he has added 87 more games to his total.

Outstanding in the 2012 season, he was chosen in the Super League Dream Team for that year.

Dragons head coach Steve McNamara has also decided to rest another long-serving player, New Zealand international Louis Anderson.

He’s clocked up 130 appearances for the Dragons since signing in 2013 and previously topped 100 appearances for Warrington Wolves.

Mika Simon is returning to the squad while young reserve team loose forward Mickael Goudemand is also named in the 19-strong squad and could make his Dragons debut.

Haven coach Carl Forster said: “We will be concentrating on our own performance, no matter who the Dragons pick. They will have players coming in who are keen to impress.”

There’s also plenty of experience still in the starting line-up. Vincent Duport needs one try to draw level with Clint Greenshields as Catalans Dragons' all-time leading try scorer. Duport has touched down 85 times in 194 games for the club (2007-2009 & 2011-2017), while Greenshields scored 86 tries in 146 Dragons appearances between 2007 and 2012.

Duport is the only current player to feature in the one previous meeting between the sides, scoring a try in the Dragons' 24-14 win at Whitehaven in 2007.

Match referee this afternoon is an Australian, now resident in this country, Matt Rossleigh who is described as a rising star among the current crop of young referees.

West Cumbrian Neil Robinson, now based in Blackpool, has flown over to officiate as match commissioner.