Zillman

[Paul]

What a great debut. A wicked runaway try and a bone crunching tackle on macdougall ( I think)

He's going to be a crowd favourite, he looks huge and is exceptionally fast

[patskE]

yeh, great game, looking good
but... i dnt think its worth taking campbell of. his a match winner.
maybe take friend of n move campbell to hooker

[karnage]

Friend was the best on ground. There was no way you could have taken him off with the way he was playing and Campbell was having his first run after coming back from an injury.

For the first time that I can remember Cartwright has a genuine selection headache. He has to find a way to get Zillman into the starting team because:
(a) he is a weapon and;
(b) is definitely a better player than both of our starting centres.

Add to that the fact that our best interchange forward from last season, Daniel Conn, is only 2 - 3 weeks from returning and that top 17 is beginning to look pretty hard to crack.

That can only be a good thing.

[TITAN PETE]

As much as i love Presto i think Zillman needs to be on the park & at no1 :(

[Boofhead]

1: Zillman
3: Rogers
4: Delaney
6: Campbell
7: Prince
14: Graham

Do it Carty! :thumbsup:

[bruski]

I agree boofhead, he looked pretty good at fullback when he was on. I still think Rogers is a great centre but not the best choice at 5/8.

I think presto would have to be a more electric and unpredictable menace if in the front line full time.

Bruski.

[Paul]

1: Zillman
3: Rogers
4: Delaney
6: Campbell
7: Prince
14: Graham

Do it Carty! :thumbsup:

correct answer..........

[Rage]

1: Zillman
3: Rogers
4: Delaney
6: Campbell
7: Prince
14: Graham

Do it Carty! :thumbsup:

Agreed. Presto definitely showed he's great at playmaking in the roosters game last year. I think he was swapped to 6/7 and after a few minutes, he set up a try.

[Felicity]

He has to be in the starting team!! He could be nrl leading try scorer if he was, hes fast and was always hanging around the play looking for the ball <3

[Capital_Shark]

1: Zillman
3: Rogers
4: Delaney
6: Campbell
7: Prince
14: Graham

Do it Carty! :thumbsup:

As an opposition supporter I hope Carty doesn't read these forums. That is the obvious line up for mine and would so some massive damage. Rogers has showed time and time again why coach Lang and CEO/father Sludge let Mat go from Cronulla rather than give him the 6 jersey he wanted.

I remember speaking to a mate about 5 years back who played with and against Zillman and he carried on about him no end, telling me what a player he would turn out to be. Basically had the same view as the Titans who've nicknamed Zillman TP (Total Package) in that he can adequately fill ANY backline position. He also has absolute pure speed to burn coupled with amazing footwork and that stuff just can't be coached into you. Probably the most valuable backline player in the comp where potential is concerned.

Could be buy of the season.

[patskE]

yeh thats a wicked lineup. with prince, he dnt need a dominate 6, he jsut needs one who will pop up every now n again when he feels like he needs to inject himself into the game. ie campbell.
gives us more attacking options out wide in the centres 2

[Tamwelg]

As much as i love Presto i think Zillman needs to be on the park & at no1 :(

Yep, Presto's best option in 2009 is bench impact. He is getting old, and I know it is round 1, but he seems to have lost his speed in direction change etc.

[Tamwelg]

As an opposition supporter I hope Carty doesn't read these forums. That is the obvious line up for mine and would so some massive damage. Rogers has showed time and time again why coach Lang and CEO/father Sludge let Mat go from Cronulla rather than give him the 6 jersey he wanted.

I remember speaking to a mate about 5 years back who played with and against Zillman and he carried on about him no end, telling me what a player he would turn out to be. Basically had the same view as the Titans who've nicknamed Zillman TP (Total Package) in that he can adequately fill ANY backline position. He also has absolute pure speed to burn coupled with amazing footwork and that stuff just can't be coached into you. Probably the most valuable backline player in the comp where potential is concerned.

Could be buy of the season.

WOW CS are you really talking about a Titan in that light, you been smoking the happy weed? :D

[Tamwelg]

1: Zillman
3: Rogers
4: Delaney
6: Campbell
7: Prince
14: Graham

Do it Carty! :thumbsup:

This work 4 me :thumbsup:

[titanstattman]

Yep, Presto's best option in 2009 is bench impact. He is getting old, and I know it is round 1, but he seems to have lost his speed in direction change etc.

I see ur point there boys but im giving him 5 games to see if it picks up if not yeah bench impact player.....

[Capital_Shark]

WOW CS are you really talking about a Titan in that light, you been smoking the happy weed? :D

I give credit where its due regardless of team colours

[Supergoose]

I can't help but think Presto is still on the comeback from injury and will be right at home at number 1 when he's back to full fitness. Zillman is in the same boat. I would've got him on earlier but on the wing and moved Tonga in closer to the action. I can't help but think there is another reason why he's being left on the bench. Perhaps Carty is not entirely happy with his decision making in defence. Both Campbell and Zillman present a problem with their defence in the front line. It's certainly crying out for a solution because both provide us with super attacking options.

[lonegull]

I agree with most people presto to 6 graham to bench rogers inbto the centres, dont forget presto won the daily M medal when he was playing 5/8th

[Paul]

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v39/homesick_alien/?action=view&current=P3150270.flv

[Steve]

I think the original plan was to move Preston to hooker and then have Zillman come on, but Friend was playing too darn well.

Preston also made a break that nearly set up a try, and problems with defence? He took down a rampaging second rower who would have been under the posts if Preston didn't cut him down. He made two tackles like that yesterday.

I definitely agree about getting Rogers out of the 6. The guy refuses to pass the ball. We'd have been another try up if he'd passed.

I think Zillman will be on the bench a while yet simply because he is so versatile. He can come in anywhere from 1-7 if there's a problem, and like we saw on Sunday, he can come in late in the game when the opposition is tired and we have fresh, fast legs.

I think everyone played well on Sunday, and it's just a pity there's not enough spots for everyone to start!

[Tamwelg]

Zip-zap Zillman seen as fullback

Luke Turgeon

March 16th, 2009

STAR signing William Zillman is set to take over from Preston Campbell as Titans fullback in the coming weeks as Gold Coast coach John Cartwright looks towards the long-term future of the club.

It is believed Cartwright is waiting for Zillman's confidence to return, as the Logan product makes his way back from his second knee reconstruction in as many seasons, before handing him the No.1 jumper.

Veteran Campbell is expected to be reborn as an impact player off the bench, as Cartwright figures how to fit both men into his starting 17.

"They are both good enough to play fullback for anyone, said Cartwright.

"There is going to be a stage where (Zillman) is going to have to start for us, whether that be at half, five-eighth or fullback, who knows.

"He got through that game well and he is going to get better with each week.

"Presto is so versatile and he reads the game really well and you can pretty well play him anywhere. It sort of excites me a bit to get Princey, Zillman and Preston out on the field together."

Zillman is on a four-year deal with the Gold Coast and is seen by Cartwright as a natural fullback, despite his ability to play any position in the backline.

Campbell was manufactured into a fullback by the Titans, previously playing his entire career in the halves.

The match-winning 31-year-old, who is weighing up retirement at the end of the year, represented NSW Country off the interchange bench in an impact-type role from 2005-2007 under Craig Bellamy.

The Paul Broughton medallist in 2008, Campbell played the bulk of yesterday's 34-20 victory over the Knights at fullback and was typically electric.

Zillman was injected into the match with 15 minutes remaining and announced his arrival in Titans colours with an 82 metre try on debut.

The former Canberra Raider showcased the pace for which he has become renowned, which no doubt had Cartwright's heart racing.

Winger Esi Tonga took a Kurt Gidley chip kick, catching and passing in field to a flying Zillman in the one motion, who sped nearly the length of the field to give the Gold Coast a 14-point lead with just over five minutes left on the clock.

"He can motor," said Cartwright, who has already labelled Zillman as a future Australian representative despite the 22-year-old having played just 25 first-grade games.

"It is probably just the contact. He hasn't played a lot of footy in two years.

"It is a tough game, every time you take the ball up, especially at fullback you have three or four big forwards in your face knocking you to the ground.

"It just takes time to get used to that again.

"I still think he has got a bit in front of him.

"I still think he is feeling the way with his leg, but that is only natural.

"It is hard enough coming off one, let alone two (reconstructions).

While the Titans are keen to get Zillman into the starting 13, moves for Campbell to step aside should not been seen as an attempt to push him into retirement.

The Gold Coast have publicly declared Campbell will be the one who decides his future, leaving the door open for him to play as long as he wants.

Zillman is taking a wait-and-see approach to what position he will be playing this year, and knows he has huge expectations to live up to not if but when he eventually replaces Campbell.

"It is certainly a great honour to play first grade," said Zillman.

"Preston is an outstanding player and he has certainly got to be in there.

"If the only position I can be is coming off the bench than that suits me fine."

www.goldcoast.com.au

[Tamwelg]

This article sheds a bit of light why Carty is playing Zillman of the bench at the moment and I now understand why we have a great talent on the bench for now.

[patskE]

yeh
reading that, sorta stays the 5/8 spot is half open, saying that zillman could start there
which could mean campbell there? lol
i can only hope.
campbell coming on when the forwards are tired, just think, but who would u take off? u would zillman there for his speed to finish of the half chances

[kwigibo]

Campbell was not a manufactured FB, he played there for the Chargers.

[Steve]

Campbell was not a manufactured FB, he played there for the Chargers.

That's true. It was at the Sharks he got shifted to halfback and won the Dally M. At the Panthers he was put on the wing after a promise from John Lang he'd play first grade, but no promises where. When Girdler got injured he was shifted into 5/8. If Wesser had been injured we'd likely have seen him shifted back there.

[patskE]

he started at the sharks at fb when peachy was injuryed iam pretty sure, n when peach was fit, they just had to fit the livewire into his side

[Trent083]

As a raider's fan, im bloody filthy he had that getout clause in his contract that enabled him to go......great pickup for you guys, and im certainly gonna get up from casino and catch a few more of your games now that you've got him.

[Blunt_Beno]

he is much bigger then i remember. i really would like to see either him or rogers in the centre with graham on the bench. makes much more sense to me lol