LUKE Keary opened up on a nightmare season for himself and Catalans Dragons after they stunned Betfred Super League top-two hopefuls Leeds Rhinos with a 16-8 win on Thursday.
The 33-year-old halfback was a high-profile recruit for the French club from Sydney Roosters, but both he and the team failed to hit the heights expected of them in 2025 and find themselves ninth in the table after 26 of 27 regular-season matches, with their play-off hopes long since extinguished.
Keary was named player of the match as Catalans made it back-to-back wins for the first time since April at AMT Headingley, and revealed his frustration about how the campaign had panned out.
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Three wins from their last four for @DragonsOfficiel 🐉#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/7qNBDQNQIu
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) September 11, 2025
“It’s been embarrassing personally and as a team,” Keary, who is one of 13 players leaving the Dragons at the end of the season, told Sky Sports.
“We’ve been way off the mark this year. I don’t have many words for it, but it’s great to see the boys rallying.
“There are a lot of boys moving on and a lot of boys who are here next year, so hopefully we can do some stuff they can build on and send some of these boys out…with a few good memories.
“We know we’re not playing for anything, but it’s great to see the boys turn up and it’s great for the boys who are here next year. Hopefully they can build on that.”
What has happened there 🤯
Julian Bousquet looks to have won it in dramatic fashion for @DragonsOfficiel 😲#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/eOcyc3iTsS
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) September 11, 2025
As well as the on-field struggles, Keary made headlines for all the wrong reasons in May when he outlined some criticisms of Super League in an interview with Australian outlet Nine Wide World of Sport.
But despite all of that, the former Australia and Ireland international will still take some fond memories from his time in the south of France after being granted an early release from what was a two-year contract with Catalans.
“Obviously [I made] a bit of a gaffe earlier in the year, learnt a few lessons from that, but I’ve really enjoyed the year,” Keary said.
“My family has loved it [in France], it’s been a great change for me, obviously being at Souths and the Roosters for a long time, and been great to come over here and work with the French players.
“We’ve got a really good contingent of English boys and Australians, it’s been an experience I’ll never forget.
“It’s been a disappointing and embarrassing year personally and as a team, but hopefully I’ll walk way with some great memories.”