TITAN PETE
03-07-08, 08:28 PM
Titans talk tough ahead of crunch game
By Crystal Ja
AAP
The Gold Coast Titans insist it will be business as usual when they match up against ladder leaders Manly on Friday night, despite their woeful injury losses.
A series of injuries to key playmakers could not have come at a worse time for the Titans, having lost four of their past five matches and with their finals chances now in jeopardy.
The Titans revealed co-captain Scott Prince will miss at least eight weeks after fracturing his left forearm during State of Origin on Wednesday.
The Gold Coast team had already been dealt one crushing blow last week, with an ankle injury ruling out fellow co-captain Luke Bailey for the season.
Add backrower Ashley Harrison to the list, who is unlikely to start against the Sea Eagles, having suffered a rib injury while playing for the Maroons.
Despite Prince's exit and an array of other player losses, coach John Cartwright insisted the Titans were not done and dusted.
A barrage of injuries last year became a key talking point when the Titans just missed out on finals action.
"We have got 10 games to go and by no means are we talking about our season being over," Cartwright told reporters on the Gold Coast.
"We have had a couple of good results, last week not so good, but I was happy with the effort, I was happy with the amount of points we were able to score without Princey there."
Minus Prince, Harrison and Anthony Laffranchi to Origin duty, the Titans' fortress Skilled Park became a fortress no more on Saturday, when the Dragons dealt them their first home loss of the season.
Rookie Brad Davis will start in Prince's place again this week, in just his third NRL game of his career.
He admitted he had some big boots to fill, but was talking tough ahead of their crunch game against the Sea Eagles, who have won their past four matches.
"There's pressure every week in the halves, so I'm not feeling any different about this one particular game," he said.
"Obviously I just want to go out there and play well and hopefully get the two points `cause we need them.
"(But) we are approaching it no different."
He said the team would give it everything to prove they were still a finals contender.
"You can't hold back in footy, you've got to go 100 per cent or you will get hurt," he said.
"You've just got to go and rip in."
By Crystal Ja
AAP
The Gold Coast Titans insist it will be business as usual when they match up against ladder leaders Manly on Friday night, despite their woeful injury losses.
A series of injuries to key playmakers could not have come at a worse time for the Titans, having lost four of their past five matches and with their finals chances now in jeopardy.
The Titans revealed co-captain Scott Prince will miss at least eight weeks after fracturing his left forearm during State of Origin on Wednesday.
The Gold Coast team had already been dealt one crushing blow last week, with an ankle injury ruling out fellow co-captain Luke Bailey for the season.
Add backrower Ashley Harrison to the list, who is unlikely to start against the Sea Eagles, having suffered a rib injury while playing for the Maroons.
Despite Prince's exit and an array of other player losses, coach John Cartwright insisted the Titans were not done and dusted.
A barrage of injuries last year became a key talking point when the Titans just missed out on finals action.
"We have got 10 games to go and by no means are we talking about our season being over," Cartwright told reporters on the Gold Coast.
"We have had a couple of good results, last week not so good, but I was happy with the effort, I was happy with the amount of points we were able to score without Princey there."
Minus Prince, Harrison and Anthony Laffranchi to Origin duty, the Titans' fortress Skilled Park became a fortress no more on Saturday, when the Dragons dealt them their first home loss of the season.
Rookie Brad Davis will start in Prince's place again this week, in just his third NRL game of his career.
He admitted he had some big boots to fill, but was talking tough ahead of their crunch game against the Sea Eagles, who have won their past four matches.
"There's pressure every week in the halves, so I'm not feeling any different about this one particular game," he said.
"Obviously I just want to go out there and play well and hopefully get the two points `cause we need them.
"(But) we are approaching it no different."
He said the team would give it everything to prove they were still a finals contender.
"You can't hold back in footy, you've got to go 100 per cent or you will get hurt," he said.
"You've just got to go and rip in."