Round 2 2013: TITANS vs RAIDERS

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast Titans vs Canberra Raiders
Sunday March 17 1:00 PM - Skilled Park

[DIEHARD]

First home game of the season. We gotta promote it early so we get a good crowd.

Slip Slop Slap!

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

Lets just say its gonna be bloody hot if the suns out

[TITAN PETE]

It will be a day for Sunscreen for anyone (Shamus) sitting in the Eastern Stand but we should hopefully get a big crowd for our opening home match 18K :D

[shamus]

It will be a day for Sunscreen for anyone (Shamus) sitting in the Eastern Stand but we should hopefully get a big crowd for our opening home match 18K :D

Nah.......I don't use sunscreen (I know I should) but it's all good. I will wear my budgie smugglers and bring my beach umbrella! :thumbsup:

[DIEHARD]

I've set up a facebook event for it here - CLICK (https://www.facebook.com/events/559538907392514/)

[Smakked]

i will be there but not in the legion this year went steel just over from the legion

[DIEHARD]

i will be there but not in the legion this year went steel just over from the legion

Never got a chance to meet ya. Did you move cause of the kids membership deal?

[Smakked]

Never got a chance to meet ya. Did you move cause of the kids membership deal?

Yeah because of the kids deal. Nah didn't meet anyone really , i keep to myself altho i know faces of a few.

[gothabull]

:) lol i saw this today thought it would give some a laugh http://www.leaguefreak.com/josh-dugans-****ed-up-tattoo-sparks-hilarious-reaction-from-americans-3720/

[Titanic]

:) lol i saw this today thought it would give some a laugh http://www.leaguefreak.com/josh-dugans-****ed-up-tattoo-sparks-hilarious-reaction-from-americans-3720/

Laughed until I choked :laugh: that is one bloke with too much time on his hands ... I suppose laser surgery is well within his budget.

[DIEHARD]

I saw this just before the super bowl. Was on an American site and Josh was getting absolutely toweled up. I just can't get my head around why anyone would do something like that.

We see jerseys have more and more sponsors. With some clubs featuring it under the collar. Well the Raiders are lucky enough to be able to permanently lease the forehead of their star player. No interest at the moment though.

[DIEHARD]

PS Hope the Titans never do a collar sponsor. This isnt NASCAR

[DIEHARD]

Get your tickets for our first home game here CLICK HERE (http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/Show.aspx?sh=TIT0213)

[Smakked]

I will be there

This year i have 2 adult memberships, so if anyone wants a seat for free hit me up, i have one spare seat.

[shamus]

Laughed until I choked :laugh: that is one bloke with too much time on his hands ... I suppose laser surgery is well within his budget.

Well it could be worse...he could have have it tattooed on his left leg....:nope:

[Smakked]

When is the team announced?

[Tamwelg]

When is the team announced?

For this game it will be Tuesday next week.

[Smakked]

LOL sorry was thinking Sharks game didnt realise i was in this thread

[Superman Bailey]

How hard is it to get a taxi after the game?

[shamus]

How hard is it to get a taxi after the game?

To where? There is a taxi rank at Robina Station. I would assume there would be taxis there as you would not be the only people that would want to catch one but depending on distance it is an expensive way to travel. It is also an afternoon game so taxis should be there to accomodate normal train travellers. If you are heading north than you have the option of a train. The buses after the game run everywhere so I guess it all comes down to what choice you prefer.

There are also the normal (paying) buses that run from Robina Station as well as the footy buses. As it is roughly a 4pm finish I am sure there would be a bus or two available.

[Superman Bailey]

Never been to a game at Skilled before so just trying to figure out how to get from the motel at Broadbeach to the park and back again. Too far to walk!

[Boofhead]

Fensom went off injured yesterday and Dugan is far from fit. Raiders will really struggle backing up after the hot conditions they faced in the Panthers game.

[mup23]

Hopefully the coaching staff that thinks we were close to making the 8 last year doesn't think we were close to beating the Sharks. Still have a lot to work on.


Hopefully ASADA doesn't visit Canberra this week to fire them up.

Then Manly next week.

And Penrith the week after

[shamus]

Never been to a game at Skilled before so just trying to figure out how to get from the motel at Broadbeach to the park and back again. Too far to walk!

There are buses that run from Broadbeach* to the game...free if you have your ticket.

*Victoria Park located - corner Gold Coast Highway and Victoria Avenue, Broadbeach (Close to the hotels in the Broadbeach area)


http://www.skilledpark.com.au/The-Venue/Getting-Here.aspx

[Smakked]

Big Game this one , i expect a win and scoring at least 30 points.

Last game the forwards made the most meter out of all other teams 1635 or something so looking for a 1800 this weekend :P :D

[mup23]

Looks like Dugan will be out for drinking while injured

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/raiders-anger-as-dugan-breaches-alcohol-policy-20130311-2fwv2.html

[TITAN PETE]

Looks like Dugan will be out for drinking while injured

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/raiders-anger-as-dugan-breaches-alcohol-policy-20130311-2fwv2.html

Another football talent that can't handle fame & fortune..

[Titanic]

One thing for sure, the Raiders have some absolute idiots in their squad.

[DavidBouveng]

so we are going to face another squad thats over exposed and feeling bitter this week....awesome.

[DIEHARD]

iSelect Gold Coast Titans Coach John Cartwright has today named an unchanged 18-man squad for the club’s eagerly anticipated opening home game against the Canberra Raiders at Skilled Park (1pm AEST) on Sunday.
After showing some encouraging signs in Sunday’s hard fought 12-10 loss to the Sharks in Round 1, Cartwright has elected to stick with the same squad to tackle the Raiders.
The match marks the club’s milestone 150th match since joining the competition in 2007, with inaugural Coach Cartwright also suiting up for his 150th appearance at the helm of the Titans.
The Titans have won four of five previous clashes against the Raiders at Skilled Park.
Gates open at 10.40am (AEST), with the NYC Under-20s kicking off at 10.45am and NRL action starting at 1pm.
iSelect Titans v Canberra Raiders
Sunday, March 17
1pm (AEST) – Skilled Park

1 William Zillman
2 Kevin Gordon
3 Brad Takairangi
4 Jamal Idris
5 David Mead
6 Aidan Sezer
7 Albert Kelly
8 Luke Douglas
9 Matt Srama
10 Nate Myles
11 Greg Bird
12 Ben Ridge
13 Ashley Harrison
Interchange
14 Dave Taylor
15 Luke Bailey
16 Ryan James
17 Beau Falloon
18 Luke O' Dwyer

[Smakked]

Good to see the same side run out.

[DavidBouveng]

yeah we crushed more metres than any other team last week, just a bit of polish on the end and we could do some damage...Reece robinson coming into side most likely hurts more than dugan imo.

[shamus]

...and a little bit more.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/canberra-raiders/dugan-skips-training-contract-in-jeopardy-20130312-2fxm9.html

[DIEHARD]

OFFICIAL: Raiders stand down Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson indefinitely for "breaching a number of team policies."

[DIEHARD]

Having been a Raiders fan for 20-years, Sarah Wilson said she returning her entire family’s memberships.

Wilson said she had been forced to hide the paper from her 10-year-old son.

‘‘When we received The Canberra Times [print edition] this morning I hid it because the picture of [Dugan] sticking his finger up is disgusting,’’ Wilson said.

‘‘Today is the actual date of Canberra’s 100th birthday, my husband and I wanted to keep the paper and put it away for the grandkids. Not only do I have to hide it from my son because that’s Josh Dugan sticking his finger up with a bottle of alcohol, but it’s ruined that momentous historical day.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/canberra-raiders/dugan-skips-training-contract-in-jeopardy-20130312-2fxm9.html#ixzz2NIeEjsiv

God... the stupidity of this guy is epic...

[TITAN PETE]

Raiders
1. Reece Robinson
2. Sandor Earl
3. Jarrod Croker
4. Jack Wighton
5. Edrick Lee
6. Josh McCrone (c)
7. Sam Williams
8. David Shillington (c)
9. Shaun Berrigan
10. Dane Tilse
11. Josh Papalii
12. Joel Thompson
13. Shaun Fensom

Interchange
14. Matt McIlwrick
15. Joel Edwards
16. Brett White
17. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs
18. Mark Nicholls

Coach: David Furner

[Titanic]

so we are going to face another squad thats over exposed and feeling bitter this week....awesome.
If we can't beat this lot whether they are running high on emotion or bat spit then we are in very big trouble.

[Surfers66]

We have an awesome team but we need to score points.

if we dont beat the raiders the first move is swapping mead and zillman.

points, points points.

[Mexican titan]

We have an awesome team but we need to score points.

if we dont beat the raiders the first move is swapping mead and zillman.

points, points points.

If we don't beat the Raiders there will be a lot more done than swapping Mead and Zillman. Many people tipped Penrith to run last and they beat Canberra by 20 points so I expect a convincing win and nothing less.

[karnage]

If we don't beat the Raiders there will be a lot more done than swapping Mead and Zillman. Many people tipped Penrith to run last and they beat Canberra by 20 points so I expect a convincing win and nothing less.

To win by 20 points the first thing you need to do is be able to actually score 20 points. We scored nearly 40 last time we played this team. Melbourne, Souths, Newcastle, Penrith and Parramatta have shown that it is not too much to ask to be able to score points early in the year.

With Manly on deck this is an early season acid test.

[DIEHARD]

Bless the folks at RLW.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/313772_514678628573385_718280404_n.jpg

[TITAN PETE]

If our last tackle option improves 25% we'll lap them

[Mexican titan]

A bit off thread but I didn't want to start a new one - at least this question relates to the Titans v Raiders game day........but is the members bar on again this year? It was good in that you could get a beer if you wanted in a stubby and not a plastic cup. I have seen nothing about it in the Titans emails.
Very important I know.:drinkies:

[DIEHARD]

So... Sunday is Paddy's day.... And Canberra are the green machine....

[C-Whiz]

So... Sunday is Paddy's day.... And Canberra are the green machine....What are you gonna do Shamus? I guess you can always just wear a big Guinness hat. :drinkies:

[Hail Sezer]

Just went and looked at the Raiders forum and the majority of them are backing us to win by 13+ (yes, there is even a poll)

[TITAN PETE]

Any members wanting to get some mates to match cheap check this out :thumbsup:

Mates Rates for Members

Calling all members - bring your mates to the footy this weekend for just $10! This is your last chance to encourage your friends and families to join up as Titans Members and secure prizes for yourself as part of the 2013 Titans Member draft!

http://portal.rlcrm.com.au/CRMPortal/Public/TIT/Member%20Mates%20rates%20-%20Titans%20v%20Raiders

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

Just quickly a big thanks to david may who sat with the away legion for the whole match at cronulla:) lets do it all again in penrith in 3 weeks

[DIEHARD]

Any members wanting to get some mates to match cheap check this out :thumbsup:

Mates Rates for Members

Calling all members - bring your mates to the footy this weekend for just $10! This is your last chance to encourage your friends and families to join up as Titans Members and secure prizes for yourself as part of the 2013 Titans Member draft!

http://portal.rlcrm.com.au/CRMPortal/Public/TIT/Member%20Mates%20rates%20-%20Titans%20v%20Raiders

That is a brilliant deal and reckonises that the Members have a pretty good idea who are Titans supporters and former Members. :thumbsup:

[DavidBouveng]

Cronulla after a week of turmoil. Raiders after a media dominated week, and maybe playing manly week 3 who also might be the centre if huge dramas... Every week we are getting the team fighting for survival / respect...

[Titanic]

So we should harden-up and stick it right to them ... I suggest we should hoist an effigy of a raider and burn it ... no more Mr. Niceguy! ... we don't need to play on emotion just play to our ability.

The ticket initiative is excellent.

[Mexican titan]

Speaking of tickets, a couple of mates went online to buy tickets today but didn't because the Ticketek web site did not have a seating plan of Skilled Park. They went to an agency and bought them there. I just checked and sure enough the seating plan is not there although it has been there in past years.
Most like us know where the bays are at Skilled but many first time buyers would obviously have no clue. I hope this gets fixed.

[DavidBouveng]

Speaking of tickets, a couple of mates went online to buy tickets today but didn't because the Ticketek web site did not have a seating plan of Skilled Park. They went to an agency and bought them there. I just checked and sure enough the seating plan is not there although it has been there in past years.
Most like us know where the bays are at Skilled but many first time buyers would obviously have no clue. I hope this gets fixed.

yeah mate, when i was buying my memberhsip, which is grouped into other friends, i wanted to try get a sense of where it was in the stadium and it was hard to find. and i had found it easily in the past. definitely something to look into

[TitansFan2020]

Almost my time boys, don't worry you will see the gladiator there in full paint work in the coming weeks :D

[shamus]

What are you gonna do Shamus? I guess you can always just wear a big Guinness hat. :drinkies:

The only thing Irish about me is what I get up to on a daily basis. :p
As for the Guinness hat, maybe for a bet.
As for the Guinness itself.......:boo: Not my cup of tea so to speak. I would need a knife and fork to drink it!:D

....and I would probably $hit thru the eye of a needle next day.:p

.........anyone eating dinner? :eyebrows:

[Skyfire]

I got a great feeling about this game. Hopefully we smash em in front of a good crowd.

[DIEHARD]

SMH: Gold Coast Titans v Canberra Raiders

Skilled Park, Gold Coast, Sunday 2.00pm (AEDT, 1pm local)

Last meeting: Round 19 2012 - Titans 38 bt Raiders 26 at Canberra Stadium
Head-to-head: Played 12 Titans 7 Raiders 5
Referees: Adam Devcich, Henry Perenara
TV: Live, FoxSports 1
TAB Sportsbet: Titans $1.45 Raiders $2.45
FootyTab: Raiders +6.5

Michael Chammas writes: The Titans were arguably the best losing side of round one. They produced a gutsy display against the Cronulla Sharks in an emotion-charged match at Shark Stadium. They were willing to get in the grind and match it with the Sharks forwards, but lacked the strike power out wide to land the killer blow.

The Albert Kelly-Aidan Sezer halves combination showed plenty of promise and will only get better with time. It?s unclear what effect the indefinite suspensions of Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson will have on the Raiders, but there?s no doubting the ability of Dugan?s replacement. Reece Robinson?s performances filling in for Dugan in the past have been impressive and it?s unlikely the Raiders will lose too much at the back without their representative No.1.

AAP writes: It was always going to be difficult for the Titans facing an emotional and fired-up Cronulla in round one, but they showed enough in patches to suggest they will be an improved side this year. The Raiders are in disarray after standing down key players Blake Ferguson and Josh Dugan this week for more off-field shenanigans.

Good trial form had given the Green Machine plenty of confidence in their season opener against Penrith. But the insipid performance at Centrebet Stadium saw the Panthers ease to a 32-10 win. The loss of the pair is a blow and another poor display at Skilled Stadium will be a tough pill to swallow for coach David Furner.

Key: Both sides have giant packs, but can the Raiders keep the giant Dave Taylor, who scored a try on debut, in check?

TITANS: William Zillman, Kevin Gordon, Brad Takairangi, Jamal Idris, David Mead, Aidan Sezer, Albert Kelly, Luke Douglas, Matt Srama, Nate Myles, Greg Bird, Ben Ridge, Ashley Harrison. Interchange: Dave Taylor, Luke Bailey, Ryan James, Beau Falloon, Luke O'Dwyer (one to be omitted).

RAIDERS: Reece Robinson, Sandor Earl, Jarrod Croker, Jack Wighton, Edrick Lee, Josh McCrone (capt), Sam Williams, David Shillington (capt), Shaun Berrigan, Dane Tilse, Josh Papalii, Joel Thompson, Shaun Fensom. Interchange: Matt McIlwrick, Joel Edwards, Brett White, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Mark Nicholls (one to be omitted).

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rugby-league/league-match-preview/gold-coast-titans-v-canberra-raiders-20130313-2g0l9.html#ixzz2NXfHNf8q

[Steve]

The axing of Dugan and Ferguson won't create the emotion we saw at the Sharks, but the rest of the team will be a lot happier, so we might see them playing a lot better than they did last week!

Hopefully we've worked on finishing sets and not panicking on the 5th.

[Smakked]

Reece robinson is a good FB replacement for them but we should win it pretty easy.

[DIEHARD]

Anyone got any ticket sales figures? PAX numbers?

[DIEHARD]

Titans v Raiders
Skilled Park Sunday, 1pm (Qld)

Desperate times have not arrived just yet, but there?s little doubt both the Gold Coast and Canberra are very much aware of the importance of victory in this clash on Sunday.

The Titans and Raiders, both winless in Round 1, struggled early in 2012 and, despite late-season rallies, finished well short of their ultimate goal of claiming the title. This season both teams are looking to improve on this worrying early season statistic (Gold Coast won just two of their opening nine matches while the Raiders won three in the same period) ? and it all starts for one of them in this clash.

Last week the Titans suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of the emotionally charged Cronulla Sharks in front of their home fans in the Shire. There were several promising signs for coach John Cartwright and his troops, however, with new halves pairing Aidan Sezer and Albert Kelly, as well as impact forward David Taylor, all displaying the potential for a brighter and more successful season on the Gold Coast.

The Raiders, meanwhile, were the biggest disappointments of the first round of the 2013 season, with last year?s surprise packets thumped 32-10 by the Panthers in Penrith. For Canberra, they struggled across the park with the team dominated in a number of statistical categories including completion rate, metres gained, missed tackles and errors.

The Titans remain unchanged from the team that suffered defeat against the Sharks last Sunday. The Raiders, meanwhile, are without star outside backs Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson after the pair were stood down indefinitely by club officials for breaching a number of team policies. This has forced several changes to the Raiders? line-up, with Reece Robinson returning from a back injury to replace Dugan at fullback. Jack Wighton will shift from the wing into the centres to replace Ferguson, with Edrick Lee coming onto the wing after being 18th man last weekend against the Panthers. The only other change for Canberra comes on the bench, with Brett White returning to the Raiders 17 this weekend after playing for feeder club Mounties last Saturday.

Watch Out Titans: Gold Coast were far from awful in their 12-10 defeat in Cronulla but the fact they had to rely on kicks for both of their tries is a concern for Cartwright. So too is the fact their ?spine? is still gelling following the departure of mainstay playmaker Scott Prince, and the arrival of journeyman Kelly.

The Titans averaged only 18.7 points per game last season (equal 11th in the NRL) under the reign of Prince, too ? Carty will be demanding a dominant display from his attacking guns, or there?ll be another poor start to the season to ponder.

The signs are positive, though ? last week the Titans cracked the Sharks on three occasions, conceding just one line-break in the process.

Watch Out Raiders: The Panthers dominated field position ? and metres gained ? last weekend against David Furner?s men. The Raiders ran for just 1042 metres, compared to the Panthers? 1462? and the Titans pose a tougher task with an even-more-powerful forward pack featuring the likes of Nate Myles (105 metres against Cronulla), Greg Bird (150 metres), Ryan James (107 metres) and Daye Taylor (106 metres). For Canberra to prove a chance in this one, it?s up to their forward pack ? think the likes of David Shillington, Dane Tilse, Josh Papalii and Joel Thompson ? to stop their opponents and lead their teammates? charge downfield.

Plays To Watch: Josh McCrone scheming and sliding right across-field, looking for runners; Dave Taylor smashing up the fringes and threatening to run, pass or kick; Josh Papalii, now confirmed as a Raider for 2014 and beyond, asserting himself in physical fashion with and without the ball in centre-field and on the edges; Albert Kelly zigging and zagging up, down and across the field, assessing his opponents and searching for gaps to exploit.

Key Match-Up: The great unknowns against the most under-rated playmaking pair of 2012 ? welcome to the battle of the Titans and Raiders halves. It?s bound to be entertaining, with both combinations likely to back themselves and throw caution to the wind in this one.

John Cartwright told NRL.com last week his new halves pairing is much more ?off the cuff? this year following the inclusion of livewire No.7 Kelly, and that?ll no doubt prove a giant question mark for opposition teams. How do you solve a problem when you don?t know the question? That?s Albert Kelly in a nutshell ? and the dilemma his opponents will face in 2013. Alongside Aidan Sezer ? one of the most exciting young playmakers to make his mark on the NRL last season ? could the Titans have a duo capable of taking the team to the finals?

One playmaking pair that did just that for their lowly rated team in 2012, following yet another injury to Terry Campese, was Raiders halves combination Sam Williams and Josh McCrone. ?Campo? is due back in the coming weeks though, so these two are no doubt extra keen to build their bond and enjoy the experience. (That experience, for one of them at least, could be about to end soon, though.)

Whichever halves pairing gets the one-up in this clash could, quite literally, be signing themselves a winning bonus for this game ? and the stability of a job in their jersey of choice for the remainder of 2013.

Where It Will Be Won: ?Leading from the front? comes no more literal than the jobs co-captains Bird (Titans) and Shillington (Raiders) need to do for their teams.

With exciting ? albeit inexperienced ? backlines, this game will be won or lost by the captains. Whoever gets his forward pack more motivated and more determined to get the job done will prove the winner. Lead the way, skip.

The History: Played 12; Titans 7, Raiders 5. The Gold Coast have a significant advantage at Skilled Park, winning four of their five matches.

Match Officials: Referees ? Adam Devcich & Henry Perenara; Touch Judges ? Michael Wise & Jason Walsh; Video Referees: Chris Ward & Neil Wharton.

Televised: Live ? Fox Sports 1, 2pm (1pm Qld).

The Way We See It: It?s too tough for the Raiders to overcome the losses of Dugan and Ferguson ? as well as a bitterly disappointing performance against the Panthers ? and still be ?up? for this clash against a rejuvenated and remodelled Titans side on the Gold Coast. The Titans will prove too big, too strong and too focused. Gold Coast by 14 points.

*Statistics: NRL Stats

http://www.nrl.com/

[Smakked]

EXCITED, like a kid at Xmas, love home games. Titans by 14

[C-Whiz]

I'll be disappointed if we don't score 30 points, and I'd be equally disappointed if we let them cross more than twice, so I am expecting an 18 point difference. At least.

Mead will get a double, Idris for his first of many this year, Taylor again, probably Kelly, Sezer or Srama will sneak one in and then a few randoms. :thumbsup:

[Smakked]

Im backing mead for a hattrick :d

[GOLDHAMMER]

I want to see us get to a position of dominance,and keep our foot on their throat,give them nothing..i hate seeing teams pile on the points and let their opposition in for late tries.

[Titanic]

a win x 1 would do me

[Chaos]

I'm expecting a win...I don't care by how much.
What I would really love to see is our halves create some opportunities for our outside backs...I want to see the Canberra line threatened on every set of six that starts outside our 30 metre.

[Titan Dad]

a win x 1 would do me

+1, This is a game that can go two ways for us. Firstly we could give them a good towelling of roughly 18+ and show the loyal fans what the year has in stall for us. Or.
We could take the Raiders lightly and get our noses rubbed into the sh+=.

Personnally I believe our boys are up for this one and will do us proud.

Cant wait, Footy is upon us. Thank God...:banana:

[TITAN PETE]

I think we will see a very dominant win with a lot of pain being inflicted on the Raiders , 30+ Mead & Flash to score a double each & big Takarangi to have a blinder.

[Coaster]

I just want to break the cycle I am in.
I have not watched the titans win LIVE since the Warriors Semi in 2010

Yes that's why I'm such a cranky prLck

[DIEHARD]

I just want to break the cycle I am in.
I have not watched the titans win LIVE since the Warriors Semi in 2010

Yes that's why I'm such a cranky prLck

What the....?! You poor soul. No wonder you are a cranky Coaster! 2010!

Hopefully we will get a win and some beer into you.

Can't believe it's tomorrow. Better pack the flags and find the Members card!

We really have no excuse. We need a win. A strong on. While we lost last week. We got some respect out of it. Our rivals noticed it. Should be ideal conditions for our halves.

[Toads]

Here's hoping all of those that make it to the game tomorrow have a great day 'n the Boys have a win with the first home game of 2013. :thumbsup:

[Titanic]

It's on at 11am here which means a sleep in, throw the leg over and a footy brunch.

[TITAN PETE]

Titans looking to make home a fortress

RSS
Ed Jackson AAP Sat, Mar 16, 2013 - 1:47 PM


Gold Coast are looking to improve on last year's tally of four wins at home.

There's no place like home, but for the Gold Coast Titans that adage has been anything but a comfort over the past two NRL seasons.

The Titans make their first appearance at Robina Stadium in 2013 on Sunday against Canberra having won just seven matches at their home ground in the past two years.

While last year's tally of four home wins from 12 matches was one better than the paltry three in 2011, coach John Cartwright knows form on the Gold Coast must change for his team.

"We haven't been so good here the past couple of years," Cartwright said on Saturday.

"We're back to scratch, it all starts from tomorrow. We wanna make it a fortress."

The first visitors to the Gold Coast are the Raiders, a club reeling after the mid-week sacking of star fullback Josh Dugan.

It's the second time in as many weeks the Titans have come up against a club in crisis following the opening round loss to Cronulla.

But Cartwright thinks off-field situations shouldn't change results.

"I think that gets beat up in the media a fair bit," he said.

"When you're out there in the heat of the battle and it's 13 on 13, all that stuff goes out the window.

"We've got no excuses where that's concerned. We've had a good build-up and we're ready to go."

A bonus for Cartwright was the news winger Kevin Gordon made it through a training session on Saturday unscathed and will be fit to play.

Gordon suffered a corked thigh in the 12-10 loss to Cronulla but Cartwright was happy with the winger's fitness.

Sunday's match is also the club's 150th fixture since joining the NRL, making it also game 150 as a head coach for Cartwright.

"Probably never thought I would be an NRL coach but to get 150, it's something to probably think about when you retire and give it away," he said.

"It'd be nice to have a win."

[DIEHARD]

I used to be so proud of our home record, Skilled Park well and truly was a Fortress. And it garnered respect and fear from our rivals.

We need to rebuild its walls. It will be a beautiful thing.

[Chaserz]

...

"It'd be nice to have a win."

Hell yeah please!

[DIEHARD]

Injuries add to Canberra's woes

THE Canberra Raiders have lost forwards Joel Thompson and Brett White to injury before Sunday's match against the Gold Coast Titans, but have vowed to ''get back in the papers for the right reasons'' after their tumultuous week.

Having already sacked fullback Josh Dugan and suspended centre Blake Ferguson, the Raiders received another double blow on Saturday when Thompson and White failed fitness tests.

Thompson was ruled out with a shoulder joint injury, while White's comeback game from knee surgery has been delayed at least another week because of a biceps problem.

Joel Edwards will replace Thompson in the starting team, while one player will be omitted from a five-man bench comprising Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Matt McIlwrick, Mark Nicholls, Jake Foster and Joe Picker.

Amid the upheaval this week, five-eighth Josh McCrone said the Raiders had no excuses and needed to prove last week's dismal effort against the Panthers was an aberration.

''If blokes are worrying about that [Dugan being sacked], they're worrying about the wrong thing,'' McCrone said.

''It's been put to bed already and we've tried to concentrate on [this game].

''We're a bit disappointed with last week's effort, so we're looking at this week as a massive opportunity to show our pre-season has been a good one. It's a chance for us to get back in the papers for the right reasons.''

Raiders coach David Furner admitted getting the two competition points would be the tonic to what has been a difficult week, adding the struggles of last year would serve as a positive.

Furner's position was in question when the Raiders were languishing at the bottom of the ladder, before storming home with a sensational run to make the finals.

''It has been a little bit [distracting], but I've tried to stay focused and so have the team,'' Furner said.

''They learnt a lot about themselves from the adversity last year.''

Reece Robinson will take on Dugan's No.1 jersey, having made the most of his chance when Dugan was injured last year.

His ability to chime into attacking raids and bring his outside men into the game proved a vital spark to the Raiders' end-of-season surge.

Robinson missed last week's loss with a back injury, but showed when he played at fullback in the trial win over the Bulldogs last month he hasn't lost his touch in the custodian role.

''He's an awesome player, you saw what he did last year at fullback,'' McCrone said.

''I don't think we lose too much with him there. He was pretty disappointed he couldn't play last week, so he'll be really good for us.''

The Raiders are wary of a Titans side which looked impressive in pushing the Cronulla Sharks last week before going down 12-10.

New signing Dave Taylor was injected off the bench, but the Maroons monster is likely to be elevated into the starting side for the first time for his new club.

That will present the Raiders with even more headaches as centre Jarrod Croker faces a torrid test stopping Jamal Idris.

''Crokes was pretty solid on him last year and he'll have to be again,'' Furner said.

''I spoke to him yesterday about it. They're big all over the park so we're going to have to be nice and aggressive.''

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/injuries-add-to-canberras-woes-20130316-2g7t4.html#ixzz2NjYE8rKN

[TITAN PETE]

Game day & we look like we'll be playing in around 30 deg so bring the slip slop slap & I'm already feeling sorry for people sitting in the Eastern Stand , I know Shamus can't wait :laugh:

A depleted Raiders team should be closely watched but I'm very confident of a huge win today :D

[DavidBouveng]

Yeah can't wait!

Taking three friends who don't normally going. Conversion time.

[Julius Sezer]

Watching the Roosters attack last night i begin to wonder is attacking with the ball that hard? Our attack is so dismal...

[TITAN PETE]

New-look Titans set to dazzle Raiders

RSS
Nicholas Janzen, NRL.com Sun, Mar 17, 2013 - 8:20 AM


Already the Titans have announced their intentions, leading the NRL for offloads.

They?re a rebuilt, refined and re-energised side that coach John Cartwright believes could well prove the NRL entertainers this season. Introducing the new Gold Coast Titans of 2013 ? a team that, led by new halves pairing Aidan Sezer and Albert Kelly and marquee forward signing Dave Taylor, Cartwright believes is bound to keep fans on the edge of their seats the entire year.

Expansive football is going to be the key focus of the Titans? game plan across season 2013, a style that clearly suits the new team members but something that may take an adjustment period for the rest of the squad.

Already the Titans have announced their intentions, leading the NRL for offloads after Round 1 with a whopping 15 delivered against the Sharks last week. Major contributors to that tally included Taylor and Greg Bird with three each, and Albert Kelly and Kevin Gordon who popped two apiece. All up 11 of the 17 players who took to the field managed at least one offload.

?[Halves Sezer and Kelly] were really dangerous [against the Sharks],? coach John Cartwright tells NRL.com. ?We?ve got to adjust to the style ? we?ve got a totally different half this year and we?ve got to adjust to that. A few times there [Kelly] seized on some opportunities and if it was Thurston, you know, Bowen would?ve been there to snap on the try.?

The only coach in the Titans? history says the entertaining yet unstructured style of play his team ? and his recruits ? now offer will prove a huge challenge for opponents as his team gels. His disclaimer, however, is that it would occur only if they respected possession of the football.

?[Fullback William Zillman?s] still getting to know Albert ? [Albert?s] a lot more off the cuff than we?ve had in the past ? but that?s the hardest thing to defend,? Cartwright says.

?The set plays you don?t mind that, you close them down, but the guys who are will-o?-the-wisp who can come up with tries from nothing, to me you can?t defend that. I think that?s the way the game is going.

?As long as we?re winning we?re happy to be called the entertainers. You can?t win any games when you?re turning ball over and in the first half last week we were a bit over 50 per cent? you can?t win against anyone with that sort of completion rate. It?s finding a balance and finding discipline ? in the second half we did it better and there?s something to work on there.

?You?ve got to earn the right [to play expansive football] ? you back them to make the right decisions ? but the pass is not always on. Your decision-making is critical. We were about 50-50 [against Cronulla]. That?s a work in progress. Albert really threatened their line ? I know their big forwards towards the end of the game were wishing he wasn?t going to run.?

Cartwright says there were a large number of positives to take into the Round 2 clash against Canberra at Skilled Park on Sunday afternoon.

?You?re disappointed when you lose ? every loss is like a knife going through the heart ? but there were some really good signs there,? he says.

?I felt for the players, it was always going to be tough going up against Cronulla ? they?re a good side and played semi-finals last year, they?ve bought well and it was an emotional match for them. We pushed them all the way ? I thought our defence was really good. Our cohesion in the first half wasn?t great but in the second half it was much better and we really threatened them.?

Particularly threatening was Rabbitohs recruit Dave Taylor. The behemoth back-rower proved a huge threat on the edges for his new team, particularly as the game neared its conclusion. The Titans know they have a game-breaker on their roster in Taylor ? they just have to discover how to harness his undoubted potential. The 188cm, 123kg Blackwater Crushers junior ran for 106 metres, popped three offloads and broke a tackle in a promising display for his new team. Cartwright is excited about his potential, even after limited opportunities to impress in the off-season.

?I thought it took him a while to get into the game ? we were defending a lot early ? but when he came on in that second stint and we really needed something he came on and played his best football,? Cartwright says.

?We?ve got to work out exactly where he fits in to our line-up ? he had a very limited pre-season through injury ? so what he needs now is football.?

Cartwright stressed the importance of the Round 2 clash against the Raiders at home ? a venue his side struggled to win at last season. In 2012 the Gold Coast won just three of their matches at Skilled Park, a substandard return that kept them out of finals reckoning. An improved effort is required if the Titans are to feature in the finals series this season.

He knows if they continue to throw the ball around and generate opportunities they will trouble the visitors, who conceded the second-most offloads in a season opener (13) when defeated by Penrith.

?[Playing well at home] is everything,? Cartwright admits. ?The boys are very conscious of our fans and the community we live in. We?re all aware the Gold Coast needs a winning rugby league team and rugby league needs a winning Gold Coast team.

?It starts [this] week and if we can mimic that second half [against Cronulla] and improve a few other little areas, we?re going to be hard to beat.?

[Smakked]

If anyone wants a free get in i have a spare seat next to me , HIt me up via Messaging will be leaving for ground at about 12 noon

[Hail Sezer]

NYC game underway

[Hail Sezer]

NYC Titans lead 6-4

[Hail Sezer]

Lots of dropped ball apparently. Drink breaks every 20mins as well due to the heat

[C-Whiz]

Even better, Raiders have injuries, might look at a 24+ win now. I am considering 30 points on the board a pass mark today. Anything less isn't really good enough IMO. And I also see no reason we can't hold them scoreless, or at least stop them crossing. This should be todays objective. Post 30, keep them out. :thumbsup:

[Hail Sezer]

Raider are back in fromt through Anthony Milford, who touches down under the posts after a neat grubber. Raiders 8-6 KTC

Kick converted, 10-6 to Raiders NYC

[Hail Sezer]

Jamal Forgarty has gone down injured after he looked like scoring. Trainers calling for the stretcher

****, hope hes okay

[gothabull]

wow its gonna be hot already onto my third tallie i hope we keep them scoreless too and a large winning maargin

[Hail Sezer]

Raiders extend their lead through Mitchell Cornish after the Titans lose the ball 5m out from own line. Raiders 14-Titans 6

[Hail Sezer]

What a day..

http://distilleryimage2.s3.amazonaws.com/dedc632c8e9711e2829522000a1fa769_7.jpg

[Hail Sezer]

Try converted and the NYC Raiders lead 16-6 with 7m left in the first half

[Hail Sezer]

Great try to the Titans Matty Russell after a nice kick from Jahrome Hughes. Raiders 16- Titans 10 KT

[Hail Sezer]

Try converted by the Titans. Raiders 16- Titans 12. 3mins remaining her in first half

[K2G]

Matty Russell is killing it in the NYC in 30 degree heat.

[Hail Sezer]

Matty Russell is killing it in the NYC in 30 degree heat.

Are you at the game mate?

[Hail Sezer]

Matty Russell in again as the Titans tie it up at 16-16 with a kick to come.

[K2G]

Are you at the game mate?

No mate, watching online.

[Hail Sezer]

No mate, watching online.

pm me

[Hail Sezer]

Raiders score, 22-18 to Raiders

[K2G]

Looks like i put the curse on Russell - drops the ball on his first run of the second half, then misses a tackle to let in a raiders try. sorry mate!

Also, i hope the big boys are keeping an eye on the NYC game, and take note of the ball control issue. the ball looks like a bar of soap out there with heat and sweat.

[Hail Sezer]

Zach Friend leaves the field after suffering a headknock

[Julius Sezer]

No mate, watching online.

pm me as well :)

[Hail Sezer]

Raiders in again

[Hail Sezer]

So much dropped ball..

[Hail Sezer]

Try to Jahrome Hughes

[Hail Sezer]

24-28 to raiders

[DIEHARD]

Looking forward to the game. Thanks to everyone commenting on the NYC. Really gets everyone revved up. I'll be there at kick off. (Damn 1pm kick offs)

[Hail Sezer]

Raiders in again. Jesus, Anthony Milford is a talent.

[K2G]

It's a fair dinkum drop-a-thon out there in the NYC. So many knock-ons and forward passes, I'm starting to worry about Coal Train's bad habits coming to haunt us.

[K2G]

Was it Jahrome Hughes that kicked that 40/20? He's looked really good as well.

[Hail Sezer]

Yeah Jahrome has looked really good. Frustrating game to watch with all the dropped ball

[Hail Sezer]

Titans in good field position on the back of some penalties. Down 34-24 currently

[Hail Sezer]

Nvm we dropped the ball...

[Julius Sezer]

poor defence by Titans

[Julius Sezer]

Stadium looks empty. Where is everyone?

[Hail Sezer]

Russell has a very strong running game. Very impressed with what I've seen

[Hail Sezer]

Raiders win 38-24

[TitansFan2020]

Very hung-over so I won't be able to make it brad, but I'll see you next week man!

[DIEHARD]

Very hung-over so I won't be able to make it brad, but I'll see you next week man!

No worries mate! Look forward to it. And it's just a week away.

Don't fall asleep during the game! Enjoy the show!

[Bayside Titan]

Go titans. In our seats. Great view of the new Cheer Girls. Go Titans.

[Titanic]

Now that really makes me jealous ... c'mon boys let go!

[Julius Sezer]

too easy...

[thelwall]

woooooooooooo yeh brad

[Hail Sezer]

**** yes Taka!

[Julius Sezer]

who was the guy who set up Kelly?

[Julius Sezer]

oh right taka?

[Titanic]

Anybody want to drop Takairangi now? Great try Kelly.

[Hail Sezer]

oh right taka?


Anybody want to drop Takairangi now? Great try Kelly.

:thumbsup: :banana:

[Julius Sezer]

scoring a try couldnt get much easier...

[Titanic]

Now that's a move ... Bird!

[Hail Sezer]

Carty looks chuffed

[thelwall]

how good is this ahahah yeh titans another set on there goal

[Titanic]

Anybody think Gordon has lost his pace completely?

[Hail Sezer]

That'll be one Meady will want to forget

[Julius Sezer]

missed opportunity for Mead. He almost always scores from that position

[Titanic]

Is the referee David May's cousin?

[Titanic]

ground looks great ... crowd looks really bad

[Julius Sezer]

should score 50 at this rate....

[Titanic]

you don't need speed when you get a kick like that

[Hail Sezer]

Thats absurd, ffs

[Julius Sezer]

no try?!?!

[Titanic]

ridiculous rule

[Titanic]

why didn't they have drinks during the break then?

[Titanic]

Rogers v Kimmorley :)

[Titanic]

great stuff Mead

[Nick]

Harrison should never touch the ball in attack.

[Julius Sezer]

are we this good or is raiders this bad?

[Titanic]

man where did that come from? great support ... our half's look great

[amaline]

Harrison should never touch the ball in attack.

Never? :laugh:

[kwigibo]

Raiders are playing pretty bad, but this is what will work in attack, lot's of support and second phase and smart offloads. Was Carty away sick this week?

[Nick]

Haha it was great timing!

.. When he gets the ball our attack just slows right down. Great offload though

[Hail Sezer]

Srama bags a double

[Titanic]

must have been a coat of paint in it ... Srama!

[amaline]

Haha it was great timing!

.. When he gets the ball our attack just slows right down. Great offload though

Always the way huh? Yeah I agree.

[Hail Sezer]

Error/penalty count is getting a bit frustrating

[Titanic]

Kelly is a dynamo and harrisons second penalty

[Titanic]

friggin' great try ... kelly and the stomping Idris

[kwigibo]

I'm gonna jinx it, will they break 40 for once?

[Titanic]

Kwigs ... I'm lucky Teke didn't take me on the 40+ bet

[gotitans101_]

Crowd numbers look disappointing, though not surprising given how hot it is out there today. Dumb scheduling by the NRL to have a game as early as 1pm QLD time this early in the season....

[Toads]

That play that put Srama over for his first try is magic we've been missing. Looking forward to more of it. :)

[Hail Sezer]

Good to see Matty Rogers pulling aside Alby and Sezer at half time in the sheds and giving them some words of wisdom

[kwigibo]

Crowd numbers look disappointing, though not surprising given how hot it is out there today. Dumb scheduling by the NRL to have a game as early as 1pm QLD time this early in the season....

The commentators were saying if you want 8 live games you've gotta fit them in somewhere. Whether that's a fair point or not (it isn't), didn't they have a night game in sweltering AUCKLAND yesterday?

Only the idiots that run our game could be so stupid as to think a 1pm game in round 2 should be in Robina.

[Titanic]

only the pariahs that are the broadcast schedulers you mean?

[Titanic]

Takairangi has brought some resolve to the left hand defence ... I am surprised people bag him so much.

[Hail Sezer]

slow start to this half.

[Toads]

Yup, I can see Brad's worth now. ****s on Champion..

Though I'm a little worried about our lads, they're starting to tire..

[Toads]

We need Srama back on the paddock.

[thelwall]

getting lazy

[Hail Sezer]

Anyone know the penalty count for this half?

[thelwall]

srama needs to come back on

[Titanic]

Falloon just brings white line fever ... 4 tackles wasted trying to push over

[Hail Sezer]

Falloon just brings white line fever ... 4 tackles wasted trying to push over

noticed this also

[Toads]

Silly errors have crept back in.. :(

[Hail Sezer]

ALBY OUR SAVIOR. Did so well to chase down Croker

[Titanic]

Idris and Taylor would lose 10kgs today

[Rage]

Srama's finally coming back on!

[Hail Sezer]

Ahhh come on Taka

[Titanic]

deserved that Takairangi ... pity

[Rage]

Ahh, why must they keep teasing me with the 40 points

[Titanic]

Zillman honestly

[Hail Sezer]

That was so lazy from DT. Keeping them to 0 would be great, can we do it?

[Hail Sezer]

Kelly has saved 2 tries so far

[kwigibo]

do they deliberately not want to break 40? Is there some sort of mummy's curse, will the dead start crawling out of the earth were they to ever cross the mark, and it's their duty to keep them at bay?

[Titanic]

good win ... a lot of positives but there were three in the 17 who were not up to it and when the team plays well then it is increasingly more obvious ... bring on the debate :)

ps. Teke, if we can't score 40 in a situation like that then we are doomed to the 30's.

[Julius Sezer]

Teke nearly pulled off the bet. Good stuff Titans!

[Mr Stupid]

Do you guys know how hot it is here..great effort.

[K2G]

As good as it was seeing us score some try's, yet again the most impressive thing about our team was the defense. For round 2 it was a massive defensive effort. Best 80 min defensive display in the comp so far. James, Kelly and Bird were my top 3, but it was a real team performance today, and everyone had some good touches.

Still think we need a decent fullback to be a real threat. Yes zilly had two good line breaks, but he bombed atleast 3 try's that any other #1 in the comp (except maybe 1 or 2) would have put away. He is a weak link imo.

Gordon still looks to be a few weeks behind everyone else.. his speed does seem to have diminished, and his timing in attack looks to be a bit off - but he got through a ton of work today, scored a sitter and i have no doubt he will come good in a few rounds.

Loving our new halves combination. What a breath of fresh Kelly has been. Hope they stay fit and play together for years to come.

[Toads]

Do you guys know how hot it is here..great effort.

Just means they need more Conditioning Training. Afterall they're a team that resides in Queensland. Send them out the back of Cunnamulla for training this week. :p

Nah, great win at home. Considering how poorly the Raiders played, the lads should've been able to cross over for the 40 at least. But that wasn't the priority for me today. To hold them out for the entire 80 minutes was what I was hanging out for, 'n not have any lapse in our defense that would allowed them over. We lost a handful of games last year because of a lapse in our defense, when the Lads tire.

Not sure why Falloon gets the time that he does, as it's definitely a game changer when he takes to the paddock, and we seem to lose momentum. Only positive I can see, is to give Srama a rest from his intensive work rate.

But yeah, plenty of positives to draw on today in general. Though we're gunna need to step it up some when we come up against the Top 4 teams, later this year (Storm, Cowboys, Doggies 'n Bunnies).

[Smakked]

Good effort today but man it was hot, 42 out in the middle they were saying , in the sun, so i can forgive late errors

[Hail Sezer]

Obviously happy with the win but the thing that did it for me was that the Raiders were kept to 0. Alby showed some heart in getting back in defence on multiple occasions and we looked dangerous every time either him or Sezer got the ball.

Bring on Manly.

[hammer]

Really impressed with our defence and it was brutal at stages...love the form of Ridge and Bird throughout this game and our halves are building! The heat was a major factor in this result...it will be nothing like this next week against Manly!
Disappointing crowd numbers but only winning will change this in the short term!

[mdrew]

Great defence today, thought Ryan James was great as was Albert Kelly. Another quick one, thought Jamal had has best game as a Titan, great pass for the try and some very good reads in defence.

[Hail Sezer]

Great defence today, thought Ryan James was great as was Albert Kelly. Another quick one, thought Jamal had has best game as a Titan, great pass for the try and some very good reads in defence.

Good DT points too :thumbsup:

Jamal put some big hits in today, that's for sure

[Titanic]

Great defence today, thought Ryan James was great as was Albert Kelly. Another quick one, thought Jamal had has best game as a Titan, great pass for the try and some very good reads in defence.

yes, it's a pity we can't get him a bit deeper and running holes instead of barging around the place.

[Rage]

Titans thrash woeful Raiders 36-0 in NRL

Ed Jackson AAP Sun, Mar 17, 2013 - 4:05 PM

Gold Coast marked their 150th NRL match with a record-breaking 36-0 win over Canberra at Skilled Park on Sunday.

Playing in hot and humid conditions which forced the activation of the NRL's heat rule, the Titans were relentless against a woeful Raiders outfit, running in six unanswered tries as temperatures soared past 30 degrees.

The victory margin is the biggest in the Titans' history, eclipsing their 38-12 win over Parramatta in 2007, while their 30-0 halftime advantage was also a new high for the club.

Matt Srama and Albert Kelly both scored first-half doubles for the Titans, with Kelly's second coming after a length-of-the-field break by Jamal Idris sent the former Cronulla playmaker into the clear.

The Raiders, who have endured a miserable week including the sacking of star fullback Josh Dugan, head back to the nation's capital winless from their opening two fixtures of the season.

The visitors were simply never in Sunday's game, racking up 35 missed tackles and completing just 22 of their 37 sets.

They will also have a nervous wait after forward Tom Learoyd-Lahrs was placed on report in the 72nd minute for a shoulder charge on Titan Ryan James.

The Titans host Manly next weekend while the Raiders welcome St George Illawarra to Canberra.

[Rage]

I'm very excited to see the halves pairing play together more and develop even more. I love having a defensive halfback!

[DavidBouveng]

Albys chase on a runaway centre was outstanding. He is so cool.

Some really good signs today without getting carried away.

[teke]

Titanic, 40 is coming...50 was on the cards until the southerly with its gusty wind came in.

Successful yr is built on defence and this titans team will be a monster defensive outfit this yr.

[karnage]

That was fun.

Best day I've had at the footy since I don't remember when.

[gothabull]

we could of easy put on 60 against canberra, storm would of but the heat was full on im glad our defence stood the test ,alby is amazing he has so much skill i was very impressed his defence is second to none and even him and sezer seemed to gel better, idris was excellent and giving the ball to mead or gordy was always a good option even taka had an excellent game showed some real power earlier on in the game overall very happy look forward to meeting manly now this will be a real test for us :fight:

[karnage]

Have we ever kept a team to nil before??

[C-Whiz]

Even better, Raiders have injuries, might look at a 24+ win now. I am considering 30 points on the board a pass mark today. Anything less isn't really good enough IMO. And I also see no reason we can't hold them scoreless, or at least stop them crossing. This should be todays objective. Post 30, keep them out. :thumbsup:Any questions, haters? :D


Albys chase on a runaway centre was outstanding. He is so cool.

Some really good signs today without getting carried away.There were 12 points that Alby saved that Prince would have given up on. And he hasn't hit his straps in attack yet.


Titanic, 40 is coming...50 was on the cards until the southerly with its gusty wind came in.

Successful yr is built on defence and this titans team will be a monster defensive outfit this yr.Was there something wrong with Meady today? Played worse than Flash last week, the worst hands, no chase, seemed like he must've had the flu or something.... or just the heat??

We we're denied about 24 extra points either by refereeing, or just some unlucky/simple errors at they try line, and some tired attack with kick chases etc. Porbably hard to maintian that intensity in that heat when you are up by 30.

But yes, it was the late defensive effort that made it worthwhile. It will be a different game next week, but you have to savour these wins when you get them, and then start again from scratch for the next week. The boys should take a lot of confidence out of a good effort in attack, and holding them out for 80 minutes. I'm pretty happy. :thumbsup:

[teke]

Any questions, haters? :D

There were 12 points that Alby saved that Prince would have given up on. And he hasn't hit his straps in attack yet.

Was there something wrong with Meady today? Played worse than Flash last week, the worst hands, no chase, seemed like he must've had the flu or something.... or just the heat??a few drop balls in first half but 2nd half he was good with rolling his sleeves up.

He was rooted the whole game, every time I looked at him he had his hands on his knees :laugh:

That right side defence is solid solid solid

[TitansFan2020]

Have we ever kept a team to nil before?? we beat the cows 18-0 last years first round ;)

[Julius Sezer]

The pace Jamal had over the 60m was fairly impressive for someone his size when he put Albert Kelly thru for a try.

[Coaster]

we beat the cows 18-0 last years first round ;)

Also beat the storm 18-0

[teke]

The pace Jamal had over the 60m was fairly impressive for someone his size when he put Albert Kelly thru for a try.good ball aye.

My first game at skilled for yrs and thoroughly enjoyed it

[Coaster]

good ball aye.

My first game at skilled for yrs and thoroughly enjoyed it

Great stuff mate did Mr may catch up with you. He was stoked you were coming

[teke]

Great stuff mate did Mr may catch up with you. He was stoked you were comingblnah didn't catch up but will another time. Bought my nephew along who now wants to go again...argh :nope:

I just wanna drink and be rowdy not look after kids who keep asking to drive the 4 wheel bike around the stadium

[TITAN PETE]

we beat the cows 18-0 last years first round ;)

Also beat Storm 18-0 at Origin time :thumbsup:

[TITAN PETE]

Even better, Raiders have injuries, might look at a 24+ win now. I am considering 30 points on the board a pass mark today. Anything less isn't really good enough IMO. And I also see no reason we can't hold them scoreless, or at least stop them crossing. This should be todays objective. Post 30, keep them out. :thumbsup:

Nice effort mate :D

[TITAN PETE]

Thought that was a very pleasing effort & nice to See Karnage even enjoyed the match :D

Great games from almost the entire squad , Big Jamma was awesome along with Kelly,Sezar,Bird with James & Taylor fantastic off the bench :thumbsup:

Much better kicking game from Sezar & I think big Takarangi looks like a star in the making.

The crowd was pathetic but it was against the worst supported team in the comp & it was 35deg so I would hope we will get 18-20k for the Manly game next week.

Winning something that has been a long time coming ;)

[K2G]

Interesting to hear Carty's thoughts on Taylor being behind ridge during the post match press conference (http://www.nrl.com/video/tabid/10959/contentid/528045/videotabid/153/default.aspx). Loved the line "They only run once at Ridge"

[DavidBouveng]

Thought that was a very pleasing effort & nice to See Karnage even enjoyed the match :D

Great games from almost the entire squad , Big Jamma was awesome along with Kelly,Sezar,Bird with James & Taylor fantastic off the bench :thumbsup:

Much better kicking game from Sezar & I think big Takarangi looks like a star in the making.

The crowd was pathetic but it was against the worst supported team in the comp & it was 35deg so I would hope we will get 18-20k for the Manly game next week.

Winning something that has been a long time coming ;)


yeah crowd was weak, but i am a diehard, and i was questioning whether it was worth it, crazy hot, so much respect for both teams playing in that. although claiming it was 12,000 is laughable... would have barley been 8k

taka absolutley looked a world above last week, and i thought he was decent then. with the sort of confidence that a match like today brings, he could be right behind alby as our x factor 'something from nothing player'.

also, still on Alby, we were all concerned that Sezer would have too much load to bear this year and teams would shut him down, but Alby is the perfect foil, and DCE / Foran quality combo is on the horizon.

Loved alot about today, but agree Meady didnt have his best day. MEa don any other day cashes in and gets 3 or 4 tries even. i Dont think anything of it, he is one of our most consistent and hasnt had a bad game in my memory since forever.

Birdman played so tough in this heat. Embarrased the Canberra forwards imo.

[Mr Stupid]

Phew! What a scorcher! Had a great day but had to retreat to the Southern stand at half time. That heat was oppressive and the likes of Kelly and Birdy showed big hearts with their commitment...what a captain's knock. Matt Srama impressive on and off the paddock with his diplomatic answers to questions about Princey on ABC radio. Go Titans! I think we'll be third on ladder..just sayin lol.

[DavidBouveng]

yeah byron, we will be sat on fourth after this round if souths win.

theres a tonne of teams all on the same points, but it is a nice thought to see them high, and for and against is always handy to have in ur favour.

early string of wins and we can entrench ourselves there.

[Tamwelg]

History is made, to date that is our highest winning margin. The defense this side is showing is the best of any titans side to date.

Albert Kelly is going to turn out to be the buy of the year. Scott who?? This kid is 10 times the player that hack is.

Dave Taylor came on the field like a man on a mission. I haven't see n him run that hard in a while and he was the first to every kick chase.

Backl line structure looked to be much better, although anyone see Kelly looking for a second man play to Zilly on a number of occasions and he was not there. It was a great effort all round and still lack a bit of polish at times, but can't be too disappointed in a 36 - nil scoreline.

[Coaster]

The thing for me was 36-0

And we can only get better

[Toads]

One thing that Jamal impressed me with today. Is he kept that silly little step that he usually starts his run with, to a minimum. A bloke of his size isn't fooling anyone. All he has to do is pull the ball into his chest and run straight at the opposition. Once he busts thru, then begin to look around to offload. :)

[Mexican titan]

yeah crowd was weak, but i am a diehard, and i was questioning whether it was worth it, crazy hot, so much respect for both teams playing in that. although claiming it was 12,000 is laughable... would have barley been 8k



Certainly right with the crowd DB. 12k is approaching half full at Skilled and it was nowhere near that. Your call of 8k was about right. It does no one any good to inflate crowds so lets leave that to the Suns and the Reds (they put up 26,000 last night when it was 15,000 tops).
Winning will get the crowds back, but 2k or 20k, I will be there.

[Coaster]

Guys don't forget any crowd on the eastern stand was under the bleachers trying not to die

[karnage]

Thought that was a very pleasing effort & nice to See Karnage even enjoyed the match :D

Ha!!! I enjoy most matches, its just that I usually want more. Even today I wanted more - I made the 40 points call at only 18-0 so when Taka dropped it with the line wide open I was p!ssed!!

Seriously though, the form through that Panthers - Raiders game looks absolutely awful after the result at Campbelltown so we really shouldn't get too carried away with this result. The Sea Eagles will be a real acid test this coming Saturday.

[karnage]

For what it's worth, I agree with those people who are questioning the 12k crowd call. They must have been counting feet.

[Boonarga]

That game is why so many of us got excited with the loss last week. We could see they had it in them if they got it right. Admittedly, Canberra were awful but we shut them out.
A couple of good things with the small crowd...
Most people ignored their seat allocations and were able to find a shady spot.
There was no 'cattle crush' to get home.

Top four for sure.

[Coaster]

I doubt the crowd as well

I mean from my vantage point I could safely count the 12 thousand people at the game or lack thereof.

I think they were 1 short

[DavidBouveng]

Jersey looked awesome at the ground. And looks just as good on the tv... It's just us poor sods wearing it around that the helmet is so apparent and off putting.

Raiders had more tackles in the 20 zone than us and we kept them to zero. Also in the redic heat, alby made a gutsy chase that was pure heart and taka also made awesome late cover to deny a certain try. They could have eased a bit , but they showed super spirit to fight for our cause. Really proud of it.

[DavidBouveng]

Watching replay, idris trying so much harder in attack and defense.

Busy on both sides of the ball. Now we just need to devise plays to isolate defenders and hellbe unstoppable. He's getting 3 or 4 manned most times he gets the ball.

[Coaster]

Watching replay, idris trying so much harder in attack and defense.

Busy on both sides of the ball. Now we just need to devise plays to isolate defenders and hellbe unstoppable. He's getting 3 or 4 manned most times he gets the ball.

The better they defend
, the more adventurous they will attack I believe. It gives them confidence to try things

[thelwall]

i havent been at a titans game since 2010 i think its about time i go have a watch , after seeing an exciting game of football today i think i should

[Bayside Titan]

Good win by the boys today, but dam it was hot. I watched as Dave Taylor using a towel used 3/4 of a bucket of water to try and cool down. No doubt the result was awesome but I heard one thing that I have rarely heard from a Titans Bench. That was when Nate Myles came off for a break in the first half he was watching and saw a few things that could be done better. He then said to Gilly and Dan Ferris a few things and they went directly out and took the message out to the forwards. Couldn't quite hear the message tho. That to me was the most pleasing aspect.

[C-Whiz]

As many have mentioned, the crowd was below what everyone would have liked, but winning will bring the fans back, and I would expect an honest 12k next week, after this strong win. It will be reported as 16K though. ;) Hopefully we can get 20K to the Broncos game.

The best thing about this match is the fact it has made a lot of people happy! Hopefully it will continue and we can build with confidence and a positive attitude as the season rolls on. :thumbsup:

[TITAN PETE]

Raiders Post Game: From the Sheds
Adam Santarossa
Sunday 17 March 2013 6:56 PM

Titans TV caught up with iSelect Titans Co-Captain, Greg Bird, Jamal Idris and Kevin Gordon in the sheds following the Titans win over the Raiders on Sunday.
To view the video

http://www.titans.com.au/

[TITAN PETE]

Raiders Post Game: From the Sheds
Adam Santarossa
Sunday 17 March 2013 6:56 PM

Titans TV caught up with iSelect Titans Co-Captain, Greg Bird, Jamal Idris and Kevin Gordon in the sheds following the Titans win over the Raiders on Sunday.
To view the video

http://www.titans.com.au/

Loved the comment from Flash

Unstoppable :fist:

[Chaos]

How intimidating is the Titans defensive line...with Ridge, Bird, Taylor, James, Myles and Idris in the side...your bound to get a couple of these guys hitting a ball carrier at the one time...no wonder they dropped the ball so many times.

Kelly's attack is a breath of fresh air...runs straight lines, gives a good ball, takes it to the line and importantly for his runners in the future, held the ball when runners were marked...oh and backs up!

Zillman...The only attack Canberra offered were bombs and he not only defused every one of them, he ate up metres on the return by running straight..his attack up the middle destroyed Canberra and he would have to be the most underrated player on this forum. I can't believe nobody voted a point for him.


As good as we were...Canberra were pathetic.

[TITAN PETE]

Another point that i don't think has been mentioned is that the players stayed on the park well after the Fulltime siren (some were still there 15min later) & they looked to have gone over to see most parts of the ground, Harro & Taylor came over to us & thank us for turning out to watch them, thought they were good words considering they looked like they were about to pass out at the time.. :surprise:

[TITAN PETE]

Furner fumes after Titans beat Raiders

RSS
By Ed Jackson AAP Sun, Mar 17, 2013 - 8:40 PM


Canberra coach David Furner said a possible recall for errant star Blake Ferguson was the last thing on his mind as the Raiders were handed a 36-0 NRL hiding against Gold Coast on Sunday.

The Titans ran in six unanswered tries in hot and humid conditions at Skilled Park, completing a horror week for the Raiders during which star fullback Josh Dugan was sacked and Ferguson stood down indefinitely for an alcohol-related incident.

While the temptation is there to rush the 22-year-old back for next weekend's visit by St George Illawarra, Furner said Ferguson's situation wasn't his primary concern in the wake of the defeat.

"That's the furthest thing on my mind at the moment," he told reporters.

"I just need to look at individual performances out there today and have a look. That's where we're at."

Raiders skipper David Shillington said the week's dramas may have had some impact on the team's preparation for the game but it couldn't be used as an excuse for the performance.

The visitors were awful both in possession and in defence, missing 35 tackles to the Titans' 10 and racking up just two line breaks to the hosts 10.

"It just purely came down to that ball control," Shillington said.

"You can analyse our defence all day but we shouldn't have been tackling so much.

"We should have just held the ball, gone set-for-set with them and we would have been a lot more competitive."

The Raiders could be further depleted for the clash with the Dragons with forward Tom Learoyd-Lahrs placed on report for a shoulder charge on Titan Ryan James late in the match.

The victory margin was the greatest in the Titans' 150-game NRL existence, eclipsing their 26-point win over Parramatta in 2007.

The new halves pairing of Aidan Sezer and Albert Kelly took control of the match, with Kelly running in two first-half tries and Matt Srama notching up a try assist.

There was also a first-half double for hooker Srama as the Titans raced to a 30-0 halftime lead, also the biggest in the club's history.

Titans coach John Cartwright said it was the clean sheet in defence which had pleased him the most following the 12-10 opening round loss at Cronulla.

"It's hard to keep a side to nil in any level of football," Cartwright told reporters.

"To keep them to nil in that heat ... there would have been an excuse to give up towards the end of the game, or someone drop off or not finish the tackle but we kept coming up."

[Surfers66]

How intimidating is the Titans defensive line...with Ridge, Bird, Taylor, James, Myles and Idris in the side...your bound to get a couple of these guys hitting a ball carrier at the one time...no wonder they dropped the ball so many times.

Kelly's attack is a breath of fresh air...runs straight lines, gives a good ball, takes it to the line and importantly for his runners in the future, held the ball when runners were marked...oh and backs up!

Zillman...The only attack Canberra offered were bombs and he not only defused every one of them, he ate up metres on the return by running straight..his attack up the middle destroyed Canberra and he would have to be the most underrated player on this forum. I can't believe nobody voted a point for him.


As good as we were...Canberra were pathetic.

On Zillman, there were times were he looked off the pace. down the left side he was given an inside ball as he ran through a gaping hole. he dropped it but that is not the point. He ran for another 20 metres through the gap not looking back at the play and Canberra picked up the ball and stole another 30 metres down the field.
He also should not of been caught when he made the dash from centre field. if he has put in 100% he would of made the try. Maybe he was injured/stuffed i dont know.

Zillman still outplayed Mead, which is good for Zilly.

[DIEHARD]

Sorry I couldnt comment yet. Drowning in things to do.

Let's just say that I am very very happy! :thumbsup:

[Supergoose]

I too went to my first Skilled Park game since the Warriors semi in 2010 and was shocked to see how many empty seats there were. Loved the energy the boys played with and we dominated the majority of tackles in the match.

Agree with most of the commentary about the game. I thought Zillman was particularly good at something's and not so much at others. Anytime he looks to receive the ball from a pass going left to right he struggles. His bomb diffusion was excellent and he made metres on each attempt. Mead was off but maybe his sweat levels were off the chart, who knows.

Bird stood out and not only for the bleached hair. He terrorized them and was well supported by Taka and Gordon. Hard to give the 6 points out for the game as there were so many excellent contributors. I particularly liked when James decided to start throwing Raiders players around like rag dolls. Certainly lifted the crowd and the rest of the team when the Raiders were trying to get something going. I was sad that Robinson got binned after that tremendous chase on Zillman, not only because I'm not sure it was it was intentional and also because he's in one of my fantasy teams.

Anyway, Manly are next and We're in for a great game if their first two efforts are an indication. I hope the heat hasn't taken the sting out of us because I want to give it the Sea Eagles big time.

[Chaos]

He also should not of been caught when he made the dash from centre field. if he has put in 100% he would of made the try. Maybe he was injured/stuffed i dont know.

Zillman still outplayed Mead, which is good for Zilly.

Was strange for him to get caught after such a big start...I don't know if he didn't put in or Robinson is supper quick...he just lacked the top end gear.
Still, you can't take the break away from him as that was a 20 metre restart and was well read by Zillman...I can't remember who gave the ball...was it Mead?

As far as him outplaying Mead...I don't look at it like that.
Mead normally shines in a losing side but didn't quite get as many opportunities as others but he still had a good game.
I thought his defense on the wing was brilliant...saved more tries then others scored.

It's a safe feeling having both Mead and Zillman there to receive the high ball.

[Toads]

It's a safe feeling having both Mead and Zillman there to receive the high ball.

Yeah, that's one thing you can't deny Zilly. Very very rarely will you see him choke under a high ball. I can't recall the last time he dropped one.

[DavidBouveng]

With zilly, a subtle but clever thing he does,in our day games, stands west of where the ball will go, so when the bomb goes up he attacks with the sun at his back, not in his eyes.

Sandor tried to catch into that sun and coughed up in the 2nd minute, starting the rot.

That sun is a definite tool to be used in day games.

[Julius Sezer]

The funny thing is that in the press conference at the end a reporter asked Myles about 2nd man plays and he looked at Carty and laughed and looked back at Carty and said "Well we never train for that or do that kind of stuff".

Aaaah Carty and his defensive ways...

[Titanic]

Yeah, that's one thing you can't deny Zilly. Very very rarely will you see him choke under a high ball. I can't recall the last time he dropped one.
How about the times where he just lets them bounce? v Sharks for example.

[Big Dan]

Our forwards are all impressive.Love the way Ridge plays if he continues to play the way he has started the season rep honours will come his way.Really impressed with the way Myles and Bird lead the younger blokes around,Big test next week against Manly.

[Chaos]

Love the way Ridge plays

We all love his solid defensive hits, awesome...but I was really impressed with a strong run and quick play the ball that set up an early try.

[Toads]

How about the times where he just lets them bounce? v Sharks for example.

That game I also said I didn't see what all the hype was about Takairangi either. But I guess you get that when you have kids running around, doing their utmost to distract you from watching a game on TV. It must be bliss to watch a game uninterrupted..