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DIEHARD
23-03-14, 07:11 PM
Titans vs Cowboys

Titans
1 William Zillman
2 Kevin Gordon
3 Brad Tighe
4 Brad Takairangi
5 David Mead
6 Aidan Sezer
7 Albert Kelly
8 Luke Douglas
9 Beau Falloon
10 Nate Myles (c)
11 Greg Bird (c)
12 David Taylor
13 Ashley Harrison

Interchange
14 Matthew White
15 Luke Bailey
16 Mark Minichiello
17 Paul Carter
18 Ryan James
19 Ben Ridge

Coach: John Cartwright


Cowboys
1 Michael Morgan
2 Kyle Feldt
3 Brent Tate
4 Kane Linnett
5 Antonio Winterstein
6 Johnathan Thurston (c)
7 Robert Lui
8 Matt Scott (c)
9 Rory Kostjasyn
10 James Tamou
11 Gavin Cooper
12 Jason Taumalolo
13 Tariq Sims

Interchange
14 Ray Thompson
15 Glenn Hall
16 Ashton Sims
17 Scott Bolton

Coach: Paul Green

Skyfire
23-03-14, 07:18 PM
hhhhmmmm not confident we are gonna have to bring more then defence to beat the Cowboys and keep the crowds... get the crowds.

DIEHARD
23-03-14, 07:19 PM
Ah hahaha. Kelly you legend. Picks up a loose ball and away he goes.

Kelly is the Titans.

Supergoose
23-03-14, 10:01 PM
Was eyeing this game off to attend but thats very unlikely now. Should be a good game. The Cowboys will be harder to crack than the Raiders were and we'll need to step up again. Hopefully Sezer is back and Tuesday teams will be interesting with Zillman out.

teke
24-03-14, 06:38 PM
Look at the crispness of the storm this very moment.

Has nothing to do with individual brilliance, just great team work and execution

Bayside Titan
24-03-14, 07:24 PM
Look at the crispness of the storm this very moment.

Has nothing to do with individual brilliance, just great team work and execution

Yeah everyone knows their job and does it.

DIEHARD
25-03-14, 01:46 PM
Zillman injury to send Mead back

David Mead looks set to be handed a second shot at the Titans fullback jersey with William Zillman facing a minimum of two weeks on the sideline with a hamstring tear.

Although the full extent of the injury is still to be determined, Zillman left the field after 48 minutes of Sunday night's 24-12 win over the Raiders in Canberra and won't play against the Cowboys next Monday night.

With the continued doubt over five-eighth Aidan Sezer's quadriceps injury it will be another reshuffled Titans backline for their Round 4 clash with North Queensland.

Mead signalled his desire to push for a shot at fullback during the pre-season and deputised for Zillman in three games last year. His likely shift to the back will open up a wing spot to be fought out between Kalifa Faifai Loa, Steve Michaels and Anthony Don, all of whom played in victorious Intrust Super Cup teams on the weekend.

Two opportunist's tries to Albert Kelly and stoic goal-line defence was the platform for a Titans win in Canberra that resembled much more their grinding Round 1 win over the Sharks than the Round 2 capitulation at home against the Wests Tigers.

"I'd much rather win ugly than lose pretty," said Titans co-captain Greg Bird. "There's a long season ahead of us, we don't want to be peaking in Round 3. We're going to be peaking towards the end of the year and it doesn't matter how many games you win ugly as long as you get the two points.

"We can hold our heads up high after that defensive effort we showed. It was a bit scrappy and we've still got a lot of work to do on our attack but there are a fair few games left to work on that but we're very happy with the defensive effort we showed."

With an eight-day turnaround the Titans coaching staff are hopeful that Sezer can recover in time to take his place in the side but if he is unable half the playmaking duties will once again fall to Ashley Harrison.

The presence of Harrison on the left edge gave the Titans' defence a significant boost and Bird believes if the former Maroon wears the No.6 again it will assist greatly in containing the rampaging Cowboys back-rowers.

"I was back on the edge this week, out there with 'Harro' next to me on the left edge and I felt really comfortable in defence," said Bird, who assumed the goal-kicking duties in Sezer's absence, landing four-from-six.

"He's used to tackling, he had the big back-rower (Jarrad Kennedy) charging at him for most of the game and it was easy for him.

"[The Cowboys] have got a lot of options in the back row – Cooper, Sims, Taumalolo – and they know what to do. They hit a good hole, they've got probably the best halfback in the comp leading them around so we're going to have our work cut out for us but hopefully [Titans assistant coach] Neil Henry's got some inside knowledge for us and a few tips that can get us over the line."

http://www.nrl.com/zillman-injury-to-force-titans-reshuffle/tabid/10874/newsid/77064/default.aspx

DIEHARD
25-03-14, 01:51 PM
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v483/diehard2/titcow_zpsc4192dad.jpg

CLICK HERE (http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/Show.aspx?sh=TIT0414)

K2G
25-03-14, 02:00 PM
From couriermail.com (http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/check-out-our-live-coverage-of-the-team-announcements-for-round-four-of-the-nrl/story-fniabjcr-1226864355333)

Coach Paul Green has named an unchnaged squad.

Michael Morgan, Kyle Feldt, Brent Tate, Kane Linnett, Antonio Winterstein, Johnathan Thurston (c), Robert Lui, Matt Scott (c), Rory Kostjasyn, James Tamou, Gavin Cooper, Jason Taumalolo, Tariq Sims. Interchange: Ray Thompson, Glenn Hall, Ashton Sims, Scott Bolton

CoastSportsFan
25-03-14, 02:07 PM
Been reading the forecast for this game and it is predicted to be still be in the mid-20s by kick off, humid, cloudy and raining. Talk about getting hit with everything at once! No doubt it'll affect the crowd figure. Not to mention it is a Monday night game so naturally less people will go.

Titanic
25-03-14, 02:13 PM
we should beat these nuffies x 30

Bayside Titan
25-03-14, 02:29 PM
I question the NRLS schedule to put this game on a Monday night? Surely for the club it would have been better Saturday afternoon or Friday night.

Titanic
25-03-14, 04:18 PM
For a club like ours which has no connections, no credibility and no crowd draw we will always get nothing.

TITAN PETE
25-03-14, 04:24 PM
Titans
1 William Zillman
2 Kevin Gordon
3 Brad Tighe
4 Brad Takairangi
5 David Mead
6 Aidan Sezer
7 Albert Kelly
8 Luke Douglas
9 Beau Falloon
10 Nate Myles (c)
11 Greg Bird (c)
12 David Taylor
13 Ashley Harrison

Interchange
14 Matthew White
15 Luke Bailey
16 Mark Minichiello
17 Paul Carter
18 Ryan James
19 Ben Ridge

Coach: John Cartwright

TITAN PETE
25-03-14, 04:27 PM
If Myles plays 10 & James is left out because of the drop King in Minichello playing i'll stay home :ugh:, why name a side when u know your fullback won't be playing ,,, we must be the only NRL Club in the comp to be happy that our current no1 is injured & hopefully long term :banana:

GCT_89
25-03-14, 04:50 PM
we must be the only NRL Club in the comp to be happy that our current no1 is injured & hopefully long term :banana:

I feel so bad but its true...
I was hoping for at least 3 weeks, enough time for someone else to cement the #1 jersey... then Maybe come back into the side as a back-up in the centres or wing....

Mexican titan
25-03-14, 08:03 PM
Been reading the forecast for this game and it is predicted to be still be in the mid-20s by kick off, humid, cloudy and raining. Talk about getting hit with everything at once! No doubt it'll affect the crowd figure. Not to mention it is a Monday night game so naturally less people will go.

And just to make it a bit harder for people to get there in time, I think it has a 6.30 kick off. Games on Monday night are usually a 7pm start but I gather we have been screwed because of daylight saving yet again.

karnage
26-03-14, 09:43 AM
Foxsports changed their approach to their broadcast scheduling this year. In the past they used to put their worst rating game in the 5.30pm Saturday slot and their best game in the Monday spot. This year, they are beefing up their Saturday scheduling and leaving their worst drawing game to Monday night where there is no other sport on and ratings are huge anyway.

As a result of this - have a look how many Monday games we have!!!

There are going to be some long and lonely nights out at Skilled late this year when NOBODY is going.

karnage
26-03-14, 09:43 AM
On another thing - what's the story with Zillman?? I thought he was going to be out long term??

karnage
26-03-14, 10:11 AM
It just occurred to me that the two players we have in doubt for this one are SEZAR and ZILLMAN and yet our bench has only been extended to include RIDGE and JAMES.... Zero sense!

TITAN PETE
26-03-14, 11:59 AM
Green looking for right rub
By Tony Webeck, Chief Queensland Correspondent
NRL.com
10:30am Wed 26th March, 2014



They're a club that has known frustration at the hands of the whistle-blowers in big games in recent times and North Queensland coach Paul Green has expressed his concern that the tough calls are being weighted against his side in the opening three weeks of the season.

Tariq Sims was ruled by officials to have knocked on during last Saturday's loss to the Warriors but a broken nose and several stitches gave Green cause to believe that his lock forward had in fact been the victim of foul play.

Coming off the back of semi-final exits in 2012 and 2013 that were tainted by controversial refereeing decisions, Green believes the Cowboys are due some good fortune when they meet the Titans on the Gold Coast on Monday.

"He got a few stitches and a broken nose. It was an interesting decision to rule a knock-on on that occasion," Green said of the tackle on Sims. "You can clearly see a bit of contact on his head so I thought we might have been a bit of a chance of getting the ball back there but that wasn't the way the game panned out.

"You just want some consistency. I think there were some tough calls that went against us which I'm happy to cop, as long as we get a couple go our way. I just want to make sure that that happens."

Currently sitting in 11th position with one win from their opening three games, Green refuted any suggestion that there was cause for panic, reiterating his belief that better performances are "not that far away".

He has named an unchanged 17 with Rory Kostjasyn to start at hooker and Ray Thompson coming off the bench but says the longer preparation can be just as much of a minefield as a short turnaround.

"Sometimes longer weeks are harder to prepare for," Green said. "You've got more time on your hands and the tendency as coaches is you want to get a bit more work into them. You've got to be careful you don't overcook the boys either and come game-time they're flat from all the extra training that you've done.

"Long turnarounds can be tricky so we have to make sure that we get that right."

The Cowboys have given up handy leads to their opposition in all three games to date and while he is more concerned with delivering an 80-minute performance against the Titans, Green did concede that there will be additional emphasis on starting strongly.

"It's important that we start well because if you don't start well you just put yourself under pressure and I'm talking more there about how we actually play," he said.

"The tries that we've leaked early, we've also leaked some soft tries later in the game too. We need to save a couple of those but as I said, it's more about us getting into our groove and how we want to play early in the game."

DIEHARD
26-03-14, 12:06 PM
Foxsports changed their approach to their broadcast scheduling this year. In the past they used to put their worst rating game in the 5.30pm Saturday slot and their best game in the Monday spot. This year, they are beefing up their Saturday scheduling and leaving their worst drawing game to Monday night where there is no other sport on and ratings are huge anyway.

As a result of this - have a look how many Monday games we have!!!

There are going to be some long and lonely nights out at Skilled late this year when NOBODY is going.

Good pick up. I hadnt noticed this shift. Usually it was the third pick over all I think.

gotitans101_
26-03-14, 12:09 PM
Zillman named, wtf?

TITAN PETE
26-03-14, 02:46 PM
Anthony Don plays first game of season for Gold Coast Titans as William Zillman ruled out with hamstring tear
TRAVIS MEYN GOLD COAST BULLETIN MARCH 26, 2014 11:41AM


TITANS flyer Anthony Don will play his first NRL game of the season when he replaces William Zillman against the Cowboys on Monday.

Zillman has been ruled out for three weeks after suffering a grade 1 hamstring tear against in Sunday’s win over Canberra.

Don, who has been playing for Burleigh this year, will go on to the right wing with David Mead to shift to fullback in place of Zillman.

The Titans are still sweating on the fitness of five-eighth Aidan Sezer, who is on light duties because of a quad strain.

Nate Myles and Brad Takairangi missed this morning’s field session because of minor ankle complaints.

Nick
26-03-14, 02:49 PM
Glad the Don gets a shot, I rate him higher then Kffl..

TITAN PETE
26-03-14, 04:00 PM
Titans v Cowboys preview
By Tony Webeck, Chief Queensland Correspondent
NRL.com
4:15pm Wed 26th March, 2014


Titans v Cowboys
Cbus Super Stadium
Monday 6.30pm (EST)

This shapes as a classic encounter between two teams both currently suffering an identity crisis.

The Titans have book-ended a horrible performance against the Tigers where everyone seemed to be working from their own individual game-plan with two gritty victories built on unrelenting defence with some dashes of individual brilliance.

The Cowboys, under new coach Paul Green, seem so intent on not making any errors in the opening 20 minutes of games that they seem to have forgotten to play football and have given up leads of 16, six and eight points in their opening three games of the season.

So are the Titans going to build their premiership push on their hardened forwards or rely on the skills of Albert Kelly and Dave Taylor to dig them out of trouble? Will the Cowboys revert to their free-flowing style of footy or will Green's more structured approach ensure they are contenders in 2014 and not pretenders once again?

Monday night will tell us a lot as the Titans endeavour to prove that they can be a consistent footy team on a week-to-week basis while you can expect the Cowboys to jump out of the blocks like bridled brumbies finally being set free.

The Titans have been dealt a blow with fullback William Zillman facing at least two weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring tear, while the longer turnaround will give five-eighth Aidan Sezer extra time to recover from a quad strain that saw him miss the 24-12 win over the Raiders.

Green's promotion of Rory Kostjasyn to the starting side at hooker last weekend showed he is obviously looking for more impact around the ruck area and it will be interesting to see how he balances his hooker rotation on Monday.

This is a big game for both these teams for different reasons – but whoever wins will feel a lot better about their prospects for the remainder of the season.

Watch Out Cowboys: Albert Kelly's scintillating tries may be getting all of the attention but the all-round performances of co-captain Greg Bird go a long way to dragging the Titans into any game they are playing.

Last Sunday in Canberra he ran for 138 metres, made 27 tackles, poked his nose through the defensive line with almost every carry and kicked four goals from six attempts for good measure.

Only Dane Tilse, Joey Leilua and Corey Parker have more than Bird's six offloads, he has a try assist and a line break assist to his name and his 47 total runs ranks 14th in the NRL.

With 12 missed tackles in four games Paul Green may fancy sending some heavy-duty traffic Bird's way but the more he is involved in the game, the better the Titans seem to go.

Watch Out Titans: Keeping an eye on Johnathan Thurston is lesson one in the manual of how to approach a game against the Cowboys, but a Johnathan Thurston who has suffered two consecutive defeats? Now that's a downright scary proposition.

Like Greg Bird, Thurston finds a way to will his side to victories when they may otherwise have no right to do so and after a pre-season that included the Auckland Nines triumph, expectations are that North Queensland are a top-four quality team.

That has not been evident in the opening three weeks but you can bet Thurston will be intently focused on restoring that expectation with a big game against the Titans, just down the road from where he grew up.

Although Robert Lui is trying to share the playmaking load 'JT' remains very much the go-to man, as his three try assists and five line break assists testify. His burgeoning combination with the rampaging Jason Taumalolo is fast becoming a Cowboys pet play but he is not afraid to quickly switch sides to link up with old mate Gavin Cooper on the right if the opportunity presents itself.

The best player in the world will have an influence on this game; it's up to the Titans forwards to determine how much.

Plays To Watch: You can hardly call it a 'play' but there may not be a team in the NRL with two hookers more enamoured with a try from dummy-half than the Titans' Beau Falloon and Paul Carter.

Until Albert Kelly's two pieces of individual brilliance in the final three minutes burrowing over from close range was the only way that the Titans were able to breach the Raiders' defence and there's absolutely no doubt in the world that if the markers are looking a little disorganised close to the line, either Falloon or Carter will have a crack.

The addition of Michael Morgan at fullback has given Thurston another trusted playmaking option, particularly on sweeping plays across the left-hand side of the field. With the likes of Taumalolo and Scott Bolton running aggressive lines that hold up the defence, Thurston is able to shift out the back to Morgan who has the option of going short to centre Kane Linnett or long to winger Antonio Winterstein. Done at pace, it's very difficult to contain.

Where It Will Be Won: The party line from most coaches is that games are won in the middle but this one shapes as a clash that will be decided by the men on the edges. Both teams possess powerful runners of the footy who run aggressive lines and can hit a hole that their respective playmakers spot in the defensive wall.

If Aidan Sezer is unable to take his place for the Titans, that extra polish in the Cowboys halves may be crucial in turning half chances into try-scoring opportunities.

The Titans have missed 99 tackles compared to the Cowboys' 66 thus far in 2014; if that average of 33 missed tackles per game continues, expect Thurston to pile on the points.

The History: Played 13; Titans 7, Cowboys 6. The Titans have had slightly the better of these clashes and have won three of the past four, including the past two at Cbus Super Stadium. The Cowboys have won three games from seven previous visits to Robina, their best result coming back in 2009 when they ran out 34-18 winners. The two clashes last year were shared, the Titans winning 31-12 at home and the Cowboys taking their Townsville rematch 22-10.

What Are The Odds: If you like the Cowboys at $1.62, you will be best to get on sooner rather than later with the amount of early money for them at Sportsbet.com.au indicating their price could come in by the start of the game.

Match Officials: Referees – Adam Devcich & Chris James; Touch Judges – Chris Butler & Jon Stone; Video Referees – Luke Phillips & Andrew Dunemann.

Televised: Fox Sports – Live 6.30pm (EST).

The Way We See It: The Titans have displayed an ability to get down and dirty and they will have appreciated the extra day to recover from a game in which they had to absorb 40 completed Raiders sets. For the Cowboys, the wait to bounce back from a shock defeat at the hands of the Warriors will seem like an eternity and – as the Titans did a week earlier – they'll be desperate to atone. A Gold Coast Monday night in March should deliver ideal conditions but a late Cowboys try laid on by Thurston may just break local hearts. Cowboys by 2 points.

Hail Sezer
26-03-14, 08:22 PM
Meyn reporting that Blair could be at 5/8 instead of harro if Sezer is ruled unfit.

teke
26-03-14, 08:50 PM
Thats Blairs natural position. Played there more than anywhere else. Won me a few bob a few yrs back when he was at the panthers

DIEHARD
26-03-14, 09:29 PM
That is promising.

DIEHARD
27-03-14, 12:17 AM
Winning is Henry’s only score to settle

THE North Queensland football club Neil Henry arrived at in 2002 was strongly supported by league-loving locals but was something of a laughing stock everywhere else, with the Cowboys having never finished higher than 11th in the premiership.

Henry’s two stints at the club were split evenly between his five seasons as an assistant and five years at the helm, ending last year when the club sacked a head coach who had led it to three straight top-eight finishes.

“When you look at it like that, I guess it might seem pretty funny to people outside the game ... but I am not the first coach who’s been in a position like that,” Henry offered philosophically before muffling a laugh. “It wasn’t that long ago Daniel Anderson took Parramatta into a grand final and 12 months later he was gone, so I think we all come into the job with our eyes wide open.

“It is a cut-throat business and with one, maybe two, exceptions we all know that one day our time will come and we will get that tap on the shoulder.

“Not that knowing that makes it any easier to hear when that day does come, I can assure you. But I do think when things settle, understanding the reality of the job you are in provides some perspective, and you need that if you want a career in coaching.

“I mean I’m incredibly privileged to have a full-time job involved with the game and working for a wonderful club like the Titans, but obviously I wish I was still a head coach — I wish things had worked out differently at the Cowboys,” he said, pulling back from expanding further and allowing an almost awkward silence to settle in.

And so, ahead of his first regular-season clash against the club he long called home and a group of players he helped shape, the obvious question was just what sort of perspective the months since his axing have afforded him.

“It’s been an interesting couple of weeks because we played Canberra last week and there are quite a number of guys I coached during my time there who are still a part of the Raiders side.

“I’m not bitter. You can’t afford to let any disappointment at how things ended affect how you look back on what was a wonderful 10 years for me and my family, and life is too short to walk around with a chip on your shoulder.

“In all honesty, once I accepted the assistant role here at the Titans — that’s the minute my allegiances moved here.

“Besides ... how exactly do you explain how to go about stopping Johnathan Thurston?” Henry said of the huge task confronting the Titans defensive line on Monday night.

“I don’t know any better than any other coach. Just like I can’t tell our guys any real secrets about how to slow down Matty Scott and big Jimmy Tamou if they get a roll on in the middle of the park. I don’t have those answers.

“Obviously, coming up against the Cowboys, they are a team I know well but if anything I think you have to be careful about letting that cloud your preparation. Because I know what all those players are capable of, your first inclination is to try to prepare your new team for every contingency.

“But if you’re asking, do I want to win this game? Of course your competitive instincts mean you want to win every game you are a part of in any capacity.

“Do I want to win this one more than the other 23? . . I think we all like to get one up on old friends, don’t we?”

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl/

gotitans101_
27-03-14, 02:08 PM
Saw Blair play in the halves against the Dogs last year. He looked so and predictable, but we'll see.

DIEHARD
27-03-14, 04:46 PM
NRL Round 4 Preview: Gold Coast Titans v North Queensland Cowboys
http://www.sportal.com.au/

The Gold Coast Titans host the North Queensland Cowboys on Monday, March 31 in Round 4 of the NRL. The match kicks off at 7.30pm (AEDT).

What: NRL round four
Who: Titans v Cowboys
When: Monday, March 31 – 6.30pm (Qld time)
Where: Cbus Stadium
I can watch it on: Fox Sports
Form guide:
Titans: WLW
Cows: WLL

Things you need to know:
The man with the rhyming name, William Zillman, is out with a hamstring tear, replaced by Anthony Don. Don is good. Aidan Sezer returns from a calf strain. Watch out if the Cowboys take the lead. They've hit the front in all three games, only to fall into a deep hole from there.

Reason to watch:
Gold Coast are the self-proclaimed Betty Ford Clinic of the NRL, rehabilitating players who have lost their way. Their latest 'lab experiment' – Albert Kelly – is a prime example of a player who seems to have turned his life around on the Glitter Strip and is playing some super footy as a result. Look no further than Alby's superb try against Canberra last week as proof. His combo with Aidan 'Hail' Sezer is developing into something special.

Reason to turn away:
They may have had a change of coach but it appears the Cowboys are the same hot and cold side we've come to expect over the years. Trying to predict what they will do each week is like trying to work out why some people still watch The Footy Show

Say what:
"The best sides in the comp are consistent and they don't drop too far from their best displays to their worst displays so that's something we need to be known for." – Titans co-captain Nate Myles spells out what he expects from his team this season.

Final word:
This is one of the hardest games to pick this round, mainly because you don't what to expect from the Cowboys. Paul Green insists they are not that far away from where they need to be but you could have fooled us. The Titans go in as underdogs despite a great win away from home in Canberra. Perhaps it's the Thurston factor swaying bookies – and us, for that matter. North Queensland by 6.

Sportingbet Odds:
Titans $2.35
Cowboys $1.60

CoastSportsFan
28-03-14, 11:55 AM
We're supposed to get pretty heavy thunderstorms over this weekend and there could be flooding. Hopefully it clears by Monday because games have been called off at Robina in the past due to heavy rain.

DIEHARD
28-03-14, 01:14 PM
I do hear the SEQLD is getting smashed, how is everyone holding up?

DIEHARD
28-03-14, 01:35 PM
NRL.com Late Mail: Titans v Cowboys

Titans: Five-eighth Aidan Sezer is still in doubt due to the quad injury that saw him sit out last round. His omission would trigger a similar team shuffle to last weekend, with Ash Harrison pushed to five-eighth, Nate Myles into the back-row and prop Ryan James into the 17 after he was named in jersey No.18. Fullback William Zillman is out with a hamstring injury, sending David Med to No.1 and Anthony Don to a wing spot in No.20. Ben Ridge is set to drop from the bench.

Cowboys: Should be 1-17, having named an unchanged squad.

DIEHARD
28-03-14, 01:38 PM
Myles: Kelly just getting started

He concedes that Albert Kelly is the reason Gold Coast have won two of their opening three games in 2014 but Titans co-captain Nate Myles insists that we are still a long way from seeing what the enigmatic playmaker is truly capable of.

Statistically it has been an extraordinary start to Kelly's second year on the Gold Coast with his total running metres of 642.7 from just three games more than 120 metres more than the next best, South Sydney's Sam Burgess.

With five-eighth Aidan Sezer missing last weekend and in doubt for Monday night's clash with the Cowboys, Kelly has also shouldered more of the kicking in general play, with 599.2 metres off his right boot so far in 2014.

He trails only Anthony Milford and James Tedesco for total tackle-breaks, he has four line breaks and four tries and proved to be the difference in wins against the Sharks in Round 1 and Raiders in Round 3.

But in a frightening warning for opposition teams, Myles said that his combination with Sezer in the halves remains very much in its infancy.

"I've got the utmost respect for Albert as a person and as a player and I really do think that him and Aidan are not even close to finding the ways that they can complement each other as players," Myles said.

The two Titans victories have been built upon a simple game-plan and unrelenting defensive resolve. Amazingly, the Raiders last Sunday completed 40 of 44 sets against Gold Coast but could only conjure two tries.

Up until Kelly's two slices of brilliance in the dying stages the two Titans tries had come from burrowing efforts from dummy-half by hookers Beau Falloon and Paul Carter and Myles says that the side is still trying to balance the instinctive play of Kelly with the gritty nature of the forward pack.

"That's probably something that we haven't really worked out yet, to be honest with you," Myles said.

"We need to keep working on our combinations and definitely having someone like Albert in there... He's the reason why we win games and you've got to find a balance between him and Sezer, which I think we're slowly getting.

"I'm a bit impatient, I'd like to have it there a bit earlier but it's also enjoyable to watch those blokes develop as players."

The Titans' only blemish on their start to 2014 came in the form of an ugly stain inflicted by the Wests Tigers in Round 2, a 42-12 hammering that embarrassed the players and coaching staff. After their strong finish to 2013 there is a strong sense within the Titans that they have the playing group to challenge for a top four position but Myles admits that they need to deliver high-quality performances on a more regular basis.

"Consistency is something that I don't think we have, which is something we need to be known for," said the 28-year-old, 23-game Origin veteran.

"The best sides in the comp are consistent and they don't drop too far from their best displays to their worst displays so that's something we need to be known for."

Source: http://www.nrl.com

Mexican titan
28-03-14, 05:51 PM
We're supposed to get pretty heavy thunderstorms over this weekend and there could be flooding. Hopefully it clears by Monday because games have been called off at Robina in the past due to heavy rain.

I don't recall any NRL games being called off since we have played at Robina? I know a soccer game was called off but that was because of surface water that stops the ball - not a problem for the NRL.

TITAN PETE
28-03-14, 06:50 PM
If the game was scheduled for tonight it would be called off for sure but the weather is easing & will be sweet for Monday night

Titanic
29-03-14, 01:18 PM
If the game was scheduled for tonight it would be called off for sure but the weather is easing & will be sweet for Monday night
As we all know, Pete has the contacts :)

DIEHARD
29-03-14, 06:03 PM
Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt says has never practised the art of the touchdown

KYLE Feldt has taken only six NRL games to create a highlights reel of incredible touchdowns, yet the Cowboys winger has never practised the art he has perfected.

Feldt is a freak of athleticism without pretension. He rarely watches rugby league.

Post-try celebrations are not his thing.

Yet screen grabs of Feldt’s touchdown heroics defy logic.

One try he scored in North Queensland’s NRL Nines success was mind-boggling. Feldt, 22, soared for the corner against Manly. His whole body was suspended in midair, well over the sideline, but his right hand somehow put the ball down just inside the touchline.

He repeated the effort, although a little less spectacularly, in the Cowboys’ Round 1 NRL win this year.

“I don’t practise it at all. It is just a spur of the moment thing on the field,” he said.

Feldt can dropkick 70m on the fly and last week ran for a team-high 163m in the Cowboys’ loss to the Warriors.

Asked if he had an athletics pedigree that fed his acrobatics, he said: “Yeah, nothing serious though. I was a bit of a high jumper and long jumper.”

North Queensland will need all of Feldt’s skill on Monday night against a scrappy Gold Coast team.

Titans assistant Neil Henry knows well Feldt has the ability to get on the outside of his defender and finish in traffic.

Feldt has already had brutal wake-up calls about how cutthroat is the NRL.

“We didn’t start the way we wanted to (against the Warriors) and they got two early tries on us. We need to fix that up on Monday.’’

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/

teke
29-03-14, 07:30 PM
Geez skilled would have to be flooded like suncorp to be called off

DIEHARD
29-03-14, 09:01 PM
Geez skilled would have to be flooded like suncorp to be called off

C Bus Super Stadium!

TITAN PETE
29-03-14, 10:38 PM
C Bus Super Stadium!

It will always be Skilled :thumbsup:

DIEHARD
29-03-14, 10:53 PM
Probably one of the benefits in getting in early. We still like to think of the home of the Knights as Marathon Stadium, Dairy Farmers in Townsville.

GCT_89
29-03-14, 11:22 PM
Took a long time to come around to ANZ stadium, over Telstra...

DIEHARD
29-03-14, 11:22 PM
So I think the weather is looking a bit better for Monday.

TITAN PETE
30-03-14, 08:40 AM
So I think the weather is looking a bit better for Monday.

You must be in China Brad it will be wet..

DIEHARD
30-03-14, 03:22 PM
You must be in China Brad it will be wet..

I was looking at the weather page. But yea, I hear SEQLD is getting smashed. Good weather here.

DIEHARD
30-03-14, 03:29 PM
Record breaking Titans prop Luke Bailey shows no signs of slowing down
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl

THIRTEEN operations. Countless metal screws.

More busted bones than broken plates at a Greek wedding.

Luke Bailey should be retired. But the Titans warhorse isn’t going anywhere just yet.

At 34, ‘Bull’ has survived long enough to attract a torrent of kudos but it is one statistic that best crystallises the prop’s remarkable 15-season reign in the game’s most unforgiving position.

On Monday night against the Cowboys, Bailey will run out for his 255th NRL game, surpassing Test front-row legends Shane Webcke and Glenn Lazarus (254) on the code’s all-time list of appearances.

With one further match, he will eclipse Queensland enforcer Andrew Gee (255). Another five games, and he will leapfrog David Gillespie, Nathan Cayless and Todd Payten (259) to enter the top 10 longest-serving bookends in the code’s 106-year history.

Amid hundreds of NRL battles, Bailey has ostensibly destroyed his body.

There’s been two pectoral tears, twin surgeries on his groin, a ruptured achilles, a broken hand, a shattered ankle and damaged rib-cartilage.

There’s other battle scars ... so many Bailey can’t recall them all.

Yet tomorrow at Cbus Super Stadium, he will again play with disregard to his self-preservation, charging at Test props James Tamou and Matt Scott with the vigour of a man on debut.

“I love playing against guys like Tamou and Scott. I like testing myself against the best in the comp and I still think I can mix it with the best,” Bailey said.

“It’s an honour to be in the 250-game club. I just wanted to play one NRL game, so to go past 250 is a fair achievement as a front-rower.

“To go past guys like Webcke and Lazzo ... they are guys I admired growing up, they always led from the front.

“I’ve had my setbacks, but in my eyes I’ve been lucky. I reckon I’ve had about 13 operations. “My wife has to look after me each time and that’s the reason I’m still here.”

The answer to Bailey’s longevity can be found in his ability, his willingness, to adapt.

At 107kg, he has stunned teammates with his efforts at midweek yoga sessions.

To preserve his ageing frame, he has taken up Crossfit. Off-contract at season’s end, Bailey is widely expected to retire, but his mind has other ideas.

“I’m still struggling to see myself retiring this year,” he said.

“I love the game. The hardest part is the mental side of it, people always think you should retire but I get a kick out of trying to prove people wrong.

“I have a mutual respect with the Titans. I won’t sign up for the cash and then play like a busted ****.

“We have good kids here, so I don’t want to hold anyone back. I’m my hardest marker. I won’t embarrass the Titans jumper I worked hard to represent, but Steve Price and Petero (Civoniceva) went on to 35 and 36 and I don’t see why I can’t.”

Civoniceva agrees. The Maroons great rates his former Australian colleague one of the most committed players he has seen.

“I admire his resilience and his toughness week in, week out,” he said.

“The one thing with Luke is he always leaves it out on the football field. He does the little extras every time. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen a break made and there’s Luke Bailey on the chase.

“If someone has to take a tough hit up, Luke is there. He’s just shown year after year that ability to back up and to be consistent in everything he does. He’s not finished yet ... he definitely has more to give.”

DIEHARD
30-03-14, 03:54 PM
Mead ready for new challenge

<script height="314px" width="558px" src="http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#pbid=fd5fc71d2bcc4b60a622cf8d3348d605&ec=c5c21lbDqhF6pK8r1QDtlOWJDDpmeeWX"></script>

iSelect Titans fullback David Mead knows he has a big task in deputising for William Zillman against a Cowboys team boasting one of the game's best play-makers and kickers in Johnathan Thurston, but he feels ready for the challenge.

K2G
30-03-14, 05:04 PM
Mead Equipped to Handle Shift


from NRL.com (http://www.nrl.com/mead-equipped-to-handle-shift/tabid/10874/newsid/77229/default.aspx)

Titans co-captain Greg Bird insists that the greatest depth in the club's short history will ensure little disruption ahead of Monday night's clash with the Cowboys despite a new-look spine for the second week in succession.

Gold Coast received some much-needed good news on the injury front on Sunday morning with five-eighth Aidan Sezer cleared to take his place in the side but a hamstring tear to William Zillman means David Mead shifts from the wing to fullback, with Anthony Don coming onto the wing.

Mead has made just four appearances at fullback in his 92-game career to date but Bird believes his experience there last season – where he played three games in the No.1 jumper – and added depth in the backs is sufficient to get the job done against the Cowboys.

"I know he likes playing there, I know he wants to play fullback it's just the fact that we've got a classy fullback like William Zillman in front of him that forces him onto the wing," said Bird. "He's got an opportunity now to show his wares and I'm sure he's going to grab it with both hands.

"It fits his style of play because he wants the ball in his hands and he's a fit lad so I'm sure he'll go well for us.

"We've got a lot more depth this year than we've had in the past. In years past I probably would have said that it would have disrupted the preparation a fair bit but we've got a lot of blokes just biting at their heels waiting to jump on board and get a go.

"Anthony Don's got the nod this week and there are blokes like [Kalifa] Faifai Loa who would have been stoked, 'Bobby' Blair's there in the background and there are a lot of guys who have the ability to play first grade every week.

"We've got the luxury of a bit of depth, which is something that we haven't had."

Coach John Cartwright was delighted to his five-eighth, primary kicker in general play and goal-kicker get through his second session of the week and also put his faith in Mead providing excellent cover for Zillman.

"It's a position that he likes playing and that's half the battle sometimes. If you enjoy something you tend to do your best at it," Cartwright said.

"He handled it well last year. Initially when we threw him back there it was a battle but he knows what to expect now and he's fit. He's been doing a lot of extra work, I don't think that will be a problem for him.

"Physically it's a tough role, it's as tough as anywhere to play. It's high intensity, high speed and you're pretty much got to be everywhere in attack and defence.

"When you're at fullback you're in the game the whole time so it's maintaining that concentration for the whole 80 minutes and you've got a lot of decisions to make back there, it's a really tough role."

DIEHARD
30-03-14, 06:52 PM
Things are looking up with Sezer's inclusion and Mead at 1.

TITAN PETE
31-03-14, 07:01 AM
Myles unveils Scott's softer side
By Tony Webeck, Chief Queensland Correspondent
NRL.com
7:00am Mon 31st March, 2014




It's a far cry from the perception many people have of Matt Scott, the hard-nosed boy from Ilfracombe who rose from obscurity to be a Test and Origin star.

The Akubra-wearing, bull-riding, pig-shooting mountain of muscle who relied on the extraordinary deeds of his late mother to simply get him to games hours from home.

As the Cowboys' co-captain prepares to face the Titans on Monday night, we can reveal there is a softer side, a cultured way about him that many people beyond Townsville's cafes and wine bars are blissfully unaware of.

But when you run out alongside him in the Maroons starting team for the past 12 Origin matches – not to mention international tours with the Kangaroos – you learn plenty about the man, and Queensland teammate and Titans opposite Nate Myles was only too happy to share.

"I've got a few things on Matty," said Myles. "He's a bit of a cool cat, 'Thumper'. For a Townsville boy he's into his cocktail-things that taste like coffee; he's a bit of a whiz at all that coffee making.

"There's a whole different side to the big bruiser that everyone thinks he is. He loves his aged wines and he does all that stuff.

"The last time I saw Thumper he was talking about making frappacinos and stuff like that; he's a bit of a New York slicker."

As Queensland have racked up eight straight Origin Series wins, Myles and Scott have been unmoveable forces in the middle of the ruck. Having been recalled to the Origin arena for Game Three in 2009, Scott has been a starting front-rower for the Maroons in each of the 12 Origin matches played since.

Switching between either prop or second row, Myles has been right there either beside him or packing down behind him but the two will square off on Monday night in just one of a host of tantalising battles between forward packs laden with representative talent.

Whether it's Myles v Scott, Bird v Sims, James v Tamou or Taylor v Taumalolo there are individual victories to be won right across the park which is why Myles sees the challenge of facing off against his good mate as having more meaning than most weeks.

"I think it does [mean more] because I classify Matty as probably the best front-rower in the game consistently," said Myles. "He does his job every week no matter what and to get the opportunity to play against someone like that, it means a lot to anyone playing the game.

"He's an expert in all the departments, Matty. His professionalism is second to none. He's one of the most professional blokes I've ever been in camp with or played alongside and I think it shows in the way he performs week in and week out.

"It doesn't really matter how his body's shaping up, he disregards that and just goes 100 per cent and that's why he's one of the best.

"Whether you call yourself a front-rower or a 'middle' he's the pinnacle and that's where you want to be at."

Although he can play anywhere in the forward pack other than hooker, Myles concedes that in the evolution of 'middles' and 'edge-players', he's stuck in the middle for the remainder of his career.

Back in the No.10 jersey this week after making an extraordinary 58 tackles from lock forward against the Raiders in Round 3, Myles insists that his role will rarely change, even if he is wearing a different jersey.

"Obviously you haven't seen my leg speed; I don't think I need to be anywhere else," Myles said of life in the middle.

"I think we just have middles now, just standing in different positions on the kick-offs. You definitely have your specialist edge players and your specialist middle players and fortunately we've got a few that can do a bit of both. You can draw a close link between locks and front-rowers now; I think they're very similar."

Bayside Titan
31-03-14, 11:54 AM
Who's going tonight. ?

TITAN PETE
31-03-14, 01:12 PM
Who's going tonight. ?

Even if I need a boat I'll be there :thumbsup:

Bayside Titan
31-03-14, 01:47 PM
I'll be there and without my kids even better.

Bayside Titan
31-03-14, 02:18 PM
Just to confirm as well 630 kick off??

GCT_89
31-03-14, 02:29 PM
Correct!
Will be there with bells on...

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 03:01 PM
I'll be watching on the net. Good luck to players and supporters alike. Rug up and keep dry.

Mexican titan
31-03-14, 03:05 PM
I'll be there. No rain where I live (Runaway Bay) all day and its looked ok down Robina. Any rain around is only brief so hopefully that will continue. Bought a ticket for a mate on Wednesday and the pax was only 11k so not hopeful of any great crowd.

CoastSportsFan
31-03-14, 03:32 PM
I'll be there. No rain where I live (Runaway Bay) all day and its looked ok down Robina. Any rain around is only brief so hopefully that will continue. Bought a ticket for a mate on Wednesday and the pax was only 11k so not hopeful of any great crowd.

Can I ask what pax means? I've seen it before and always wondered what it meant.

As for the rain, it isn't so much the amount of rain but more so when it hits. It is supposed to hit a little after 4pm (clouds do look dark out Robina way right now) and that is exactly around the time people will be knocking off from work and kids getting home from school. Rain tends to turn people off so if it is raining around 4:50-5:00pm then I doubt a lot of people will bother to attend a Monday night game. It is supposed to ease around 5pm but then apparently it'll hit again around 6pm so that won't help either.

Mexican titan
31-03-14, 03:37 PM
Can I ask what pax means? I've seen it before and always wondered what it meant.

As for the rain, it isn't so much the amount of rain but more so when it hits. It is supposed to hit a little after 4pm (clouds do look dark out Robina way right now) and that is exactly around the time people will be knocking off from work and kids getting home from school. Rain tends to turn people off so if it is raining around 4:50-5:00pm then I doubt a lot of people will bother to attend a Monday night game. It is supposed to ease around 5pm but then apparently it'll hit again around 6pm so that won't help either.

Yeah no worries mate. PAX is the number of tickets sold e.g the pax number on the tickets I bought were 11,081 and 11,082 which means that many tickets had been sold/allocated to that point. I assume it includes the 8,000 or so members but at some grounds it doesn't. Generally if you have bought a ticket people will go unless the weather is diabolical but weather on the day definitely effects the number of walk up sales.

CoastSportsFan
31-03-14, 03:44 PM
Yeah no worries mate. PAX is the number of tickets sold e.g the pax number on the tickets I bought were 11,081 and 11,082 which means that many tickets had been sold/allocated to that point. I assume it includes the 8,000 or so members but at some grounds it doesn't. Generally if you have bought a ticket people will go unless the weather is diabolical but weather on the day definitely effects the number of walk up sales.

Oh I see. Would it be hard to work out how many tickets have been sold between when you purchased your tickets and right now? Would a few hundred be about right?

You're definitely right about it affecting walk up sales and that's what I was alluding to with people finishing work/school and seeing rain. I mean there is obvisouly no guarantee that members are going to show up either (especially with the way the team performed at the last home game) but you would think a minimum of 80% would show up to every home game. I'm just trying to get a rough gauge here of what sort of crowd to expect. 11.5k is the number going through my head...

Titanic
31-03-14, 04:23 PM
Just for those with trivia on their minds ... "pax" in this context was originally airline three-letter code for "passengers" and used in computer reservation systems but has since morphed into "people".

CoastSportsFan
31-03-14, 05:16 PM
Decided to drive through Robina and assess the situation and I noticed a few things. No rain yet but there was a very dark cloud almost directly on top of the stadium so that's anyone's guess as to whether it'll start raining soon. There was also a lot of dark cloud out towards the hinterland so I would guess they could travel over to the stadium later on as well.

Saw about 50 people heading towards the stadium but not one of them was wearing a Titans jersey. I saw one Maroons jersey and everyone else was dressed in regular clothes. Also, people are parking on the grassy area opposite the library and walking from there. I wasn't aware that people did that but that's probably normal.

CoastSportsFan
31-03-14, 06:00 PM
Looks like we might have dodged a bullet here guys. Still yet to rain and kick off is 30 mins away. Hopefully it doesn't dump down in the next half an hour.

teke
31-03-14, 06:03 PM
Clear skies above me and dry as a bone inside my lounge room.

Titans 16 plus

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 06:36 PM
OK getting ready to watch here.

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 06:36 PM
Looks like we might have dodged a bullet here guys. Still yet to rain and kick off is 30 mins away. Hopefully it doesn't dump down in the next half an hour.

That helps the match conditions and comfort of the loyal fans. But still not sooner enough to encourage/not discourage people to go.

The Birdman
31-03-14, 06:40 PM
We do cop some dick off the refs, don't we? Knocked back my ****!

Mt Smart
31-03-14, 06:46 PM
This refs a bit of a snake

Mt Smart
31-03-14, 06:47 PM
Great defence !

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 06:48 PM
Damn it, I cant watch it yet. Feel free to give some updates.

Coaster
31-03-14, 06:51 PM
Snake just got a 5 year contract

Mt Smart
31-03-14, 06:53 PM
Thurston Scored early in the match

The Titans have had lots of chances.

It has a fairly even feel out there

But the Cows lead 6-0

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 06:54 PM
Listening on the radio. LOL a snake WTF. I thought people were talking about Brett Stewart.

Titanic
31-03-14, 06:56 PM
Gordon's defence is very poor

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 06:57 PM
Triple M saying "this game is cookoo" and "that the snakes isnt the weirdest thing. Sterlo speculating on its species.

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 07:00 PM
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v483/diehard2/snak_zps3b7c77c0.jpg

Titanic
31-03-14, 07:04 PM
now Carter does the hands in the air crap ... what is that?

Titanic
31-03-14, 07:08 PM
Harrison is a freakin' moron

The Birdman
31-03-14, 07:09 PM
Our goal line attack is always so one out or sideways. Soooo easy to defend.

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 07:11 PM
I cant see whats going on, only triple m. Doesn't sound too inspiring at all. Both teams guilty as well. We are lucky we arent a few tries behind.

Titanic
31-03-14, 07:11 PM
and he tried it again behind play then ... totally a twit

Boonarga
31-03-14, 07:12 PM
Wow. This crap will bring the crowds in.

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 07:12 PM
Score before half time?

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 07:12 PM
Spoke too soon...

Mt Smart
31-03-14, 07:13 PM
Gee Whiz

Team that holds the ball wins.

No Coach needed

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 07:14 PM
Morgan v Kelly sounds exciting, wow.

Toads
31-03-14, 07:14 PM
First Half: Hmm..

teke
31-03-14, 07:15 PM
This is a lovely game, rating out of 10....3.5

The Birdman
31-03-14, 07:15 PM
Cartwright needs a 10 year contract extension. He is a true visionary of the coaching world.

Toads
31-03-14, 07:16 PM
That seems generous, teke. Then again. I guess the snake amounts to 1 point of that..

Titanic
31-03-14, 07:17 PM
well all I can say I am glad I didn't pay money to watch this ... in fact I'm at work and getting paid to watch it and feel like I'm being short changed ... we are really awful and the Cows are only vaguely better.

teke
31-03-14, 07:18 PM
That seems generous, teke. Then again. I guess the snake amounts to 1 point of that..titans should be ahead but are so useless in attack and that cows try was a joke

Toads
31-03-14, 07:22 PM
Yup, any other day that try would most likely be dis-allowed.

My two favourite teams having a shocker..:doh:

CoastSportsFan
31-03-14, 07:28 PM
There's the rain that was predicted. Only took an hour and a half after predicted haha. You never can predict rain accurately.

Toads
31-03-14, 07:30 PM
now that it's raining, that snake might make an appearance again.. :p

Mt Smart
31-03-14, 07:32 PM
Fingers crossed the boys are off to a good start to the half, nice challenge , great Try........Geepers that Image shows the Rain , no wonder the game is high in errors

Boonarga
31-03-14, 07:35 PM
I don't even care about the bad call. It's just a joke this game.

The Birdman
31-03-14, 07:42 PM
How is Harrison playing first grade still? Second-rate as they come. Carter is raw and inexperienced but is already a much better footballer than Harrison the auto pick.

Toads
31-03-14, 07:55 PM
Here we go. if we got anything. it'll happen in this play..

EDIT: Nope. Not today..

Mt Smart
31-03-14, 08:01 PM
here we go , Cows imploding , come on !

Boonarga
31-03-14, 08:04 PM
Is the snake on the ball?

Supergoose
31-03-14, 08:04 PM
Did James play for the Tweed? I can't understand how he's not one of the first forwards picked. Maybe his confidence in his shoulder hasn't come back yet, but gee we miss him. I can't quite believe how bad both teams have been. The good news is that our defence has been reasonably good.

teke
31-03-14, 08:18 PM
Titans defence has been quite good actually. The first up contact is top notch

Mt Smart
31-03-14, 08:20 PM
Thank goodness for the drop goal

Fifth on the NRL ladder , excellent season start in any mans lingo , that hopefully will kick the team up a few gears.

Titanic
31-03-14, 08:21 PM
I'll take that win too because we certainly outplayed the Cows in the second dig but we have some real poor efforts in there, especially Harrison and Gordon. Tighe was excellent tonight, Mead solid and Don looks better each game. I won't mention the forwards because it was their type of game but Carter is starting to show some of Cartwrights poor habits and I hope he just plays his own game in future because he really looks the goods.

lonegull
31-03-14, 08:22 PM
Take that win although once again ugly a win is a win, our first contact I the tackles was evident we seemed to be hurting them and really bending them back on first contact. Oh well top of the table

gotitans101_
31-03-14, 08:29 PM
It's the sort of win we've been used to for the past 3 years. Ugly.

TITAN PETE
31-03-14, 09:14 PM
Good win excellent all round game from Tighe & Carter is Definatly a keeper just needs a bit more educating , if Meads the answer to our fullback problems we are in trouble , letting the ball bounce twice off the kick off isn't good enough , thought Sezar,Taylor,Taka & Bails all had big games too...

Top 4 who'd a thought..

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 09:43 PM
Gonna have to watch a replay of this. I missed the 2nd half. Good to get the win but the way we got it sounds worrying. Defence seems to be our saving grace.

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 09:54 PM
GRITTY TITANS OUTLAST COWBOYS

A SUPERB kicking performance from five-eighth Aidan Sezer gave the Titans a gritty 13-12 win over a fumbling Cowboys team.

Sezer’s radar left boot laid on both his team’s tries, as well as two goals from as many attempts and a clever field goal to prove the difference between two struggling teams.

The Cowboys were their own worst enemies, putting in a sloppy performance and showing little discipline with the football.

A very scrappy first half produced just one try – and it was a controversial one at that.

A bomb from Cowboys halfback Robert Lui created problems for the Titans defence and North Queensland centre Brent Tate jumped high, getting his hand to the ball.

Johnathan Thurston was on the spot to pick up the loose ball and score, despite howls of protests from the Titans players and crowd.

Both the on field referee and video ref ruled the ball had gone back off Tate’s hand… but it looked more like a knock-on.

Thurston added the extras for an early 6-0 lead.

The Titans should have levelled when winger Anthony Don crossed after a smart backline move in the 14th minute.

But the video referee correctly ruled that Titans forward Dave Taylor had taken out a defender in the lead-up play.

The Titans had another great chance late in the half when speedy halfback Albert Kelly swooped on a loose ball, kicking it ahead.

But Cowboys fullback Michael Morgan showed real pace to beat Kelly to the ball, defusing a dangerous situation.

The tide began to turn immediately after the resumption, when Morgan dropped a perfectly-placed Sezer bomb.

Titans winger Kevin Gordon was on hand to score his first try of the season, with Sezer’s conversion levelling scores at 6-all.

The Titans then hit the front when Sezer again forced an error in the 66th minute, this time from a grubber kick.

Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt fumbled the wet ball, presenting Titans centre Brad Tighe with the simplest of tries.

Sezer then added a field goal to give the Titans a handy seven-point break.

http://rugbyleagueweek.com.au/gritty-titans-outlast-cowboys/

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 09:58 PM
Snake steals show as Gold Coast Titans and North Queensland Cowboys debry lacks venom

THE world’s most venomous snake slithered along the sidelines of Robina on Monday night but even it headed for the exits after 20 minutes of a dour Gold Coast victory.

The Titans 13-12 home victory over North Queensland was so devoid of entertainment a one-metre Brown Snake was the lone highlight.

The snake in the south eastern corner sent patrons scurrying early in the game but thankfully there were plenty of other seats in the barely-attended stadium.

A 3ft brown snake has shocked crowds and commentators at the Titans and Cowboys clash at Cbus Super Stadium tonight.

In fact some suggested the Titans counted the snake among the 9,482-strong crowd for an admittedly unattractive Monday night game.

That attendance figure is a record low for the Titans at Robina but the heart this battling team shows each week deserves greater support.

The now-infamous snake had a Twitter account five minutes after its Cbus Super Stadium debut but found refuge in a drain pipe soon after.

Titans captain Greg Bird was disturbed to hear their was a snake on the field when told during the post-match press conference.

“An actual snake? I had no idea,” Bird said.

“I wish it bit me, it would have given me an excuse to lay down and have a rest.”

No one could blame the snake from averting its eyes from the rain-soaked match.

Although the clash was tight throughout, the close scoreline was due to the two teams being as bad as each other.

There were 14 errors in the first half alone and the game ended in a total of 33 as well as 16 penalties.

There has been some brilliant games of rugby league this season but the Titans have not featured in any.

However, they are among the competition’s most gutsy teams and have the best scramble defence in the NRL.

Former Kangaroos half Greg Alexander said in Fox Sports commentary that, “These two sides look like they haven’t played together before”.

Despite his accurate assessment, the Titans are somehow in the top four with just one loss this season.

Their recovery from a round two spanking at the hands of Wests Tigers has been remarkable.

Once their attack resembles any sort of shape, they will be a dangerous side.

The Cowboys are playing without confidence this season, a year in which they are one from four.

On Monday night, they scored the opening try for the first time this season when Johnathan Thurston picked up the scraps from a Robert Lui bomb.

Another error resulted in a try but this time it was Titans’ winger Kevin Gordon getting the rewards when the Cowboys failed to defuse an attacking kick.

Then the arm wrestle to end all arm wrestles occurred for 25 minutes, until another mistake saw Brad Tighe dive on the crumbs in-goal.

An Aidan Sezer field goal in the Titans’ next set effectively iced the game.

Bird said the Titans’ two halves in Sezer and Albert Kelly were crucial to their ugly win.

“Albert is the man who can turn the game on its head and Sezer is the one who wants to complete our sets, get into the end zone, kick to the corners and grind the game away and that’s what we did tonight,” Bird said.

“We have been winning games pure on hard-work and determination.

“I know you always say you want to build your season on defence but it is no secret our attack has been pretty scrappy.”

On the night Alex McKinnon was diagnosed as quadriplegic, there were two spear tackles.

Nate Myles and Paul Carter both put Cowboys players in dangerous positions but neither were placed on report while Ashley Harrison could face scrutiny for a shoulder charge.

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/

teke
31-03-14, 10:08 PM
Good win excellent all round game from Tighe & Carter is Definatly a keeper just needs a bit more educating , if Meads the answer to our fullback problems we are in trouble , letting the ball bounce twice off the kick off isn't good enough , thought Sezar,Taylor,Taka & Bails all had big games too...

Top 4 who'd a thought..Dont u worry zilly will be back soon enough. The number one jumper gets retired when he ain't playing.

Defence was pretty good...that's all that can be said.

Mini zero mistakes

DavidBouveng
31-03-14, 10:22 PM
Dont u worry zilly will be back soon enough. The number one jumper gets retired when he ain't playing.

Defence was pretty good...that's all that can be said.

Mini zero mistakes

i thought this too. Did Carty name Zillman even though the whole world knew he was ut for 3-4 weeks just so no one got his jersey. wouldnt put it past them.

karnage
31-03-14, 10:25 PM
That was not an inspiring game of football.

The official crowd was posted at less than 10k. I go to every single game and I don't recall a crowd figure lower than the 9,500 they posted tonight. Can anybody recall a lower total??

At one point in the second half we put together one of those terrible attackign sets where we just run the ball up one out or pass it to a half who turns it back in this guy behind me yelled out 'how about we sack Cartwright?!' and all these people around me stood up and cheered. It was a pretty amazing moment. The game was in the balance and I wasn't the only one thinking that winning isn't everything here - we just want a team that can play some decent football. We were honest and tough tonight but we definitely were not good.

So, we are 3-1 which is great, but we already have a NEGATIVE for and against and our next two games are away to the Storm and then at home to the in form Broncos who we simply never, ever beat.

I just can't get excited...

teke
31-03-14, 10:29 PM
Haha I don't know, seems quite strange.

Mexican titan
31-03-14, 10:30 PM
I'll take that win too because we certainly outplayed the Cows in the second dig but we have some real poor efforts in there, especially Harrison and Gordon. Tighe was excellent tonight, Mead solid and Don looks better each game. I won't mention the forwards because it was their type of game but Carter is starting to show some of Cartwrights poor habits and I hope he just plays his own game in future because he really looks the goods.

Just got home due to a problem with the trains (problem north of Helensvale) but I think you have nailed it Titanic. Harrison is on borrowed time and Gordon is going very badly at the moment. Only good luck and other defenders saved some tries down his side.
Mead was shaky at times but will get better as he adjusts to fullback. The people around me were surprised when Fox interviewed Sezer as I assume Man of the match. He went well but we all thought Bird was everywhere when it mattered.

teke
31-03-14, 10:31 PM
That was not an inspiring game of football.

The official crowd was posted at less than 10k. I go to every single game and I don't recall a crowd figure lower than the 9,500 they posted tonight. Can anybody recall a lower total??

At one point in the second half we put together one of those terrible attackign sets where we just run the ball up one out or pass it to a half who turns it back in this guy behind me yelled out 'how about we sack Cartwright?!' and all these people around me stood up and cheered. It was a pretty amazing moment. The game was in the balance and I wasn't the only one thinking that winning isn't everything here - we just want a team that can play some decent football. We were honest and tough tonight but we definitely were not good.

So, we are 3-1 which is great, but we already have a NEGATIVE for and against and our next two games are away to the Storm and then at home to the in form Broncos who we simply never, ever beat.

I just can't get excited...be honest it was u that stood up and yelled out #sackcarty ha!

DavidBouveng
31-03-14, 10:33 PM
thoughts on tonight:

*jerseys look awesome. took till round 4 to wear our main strip but it looks great. world class.

*We have our guts and 'will to fight for each other' back. we scramble and are committed. if we could find some level of attack we would a good side. but to go with our dummy half dive and albert kelly intercept, we have a third set move - the kick and hope they fumble dive on it try. those three types of tries account for more than 80% of our tries this season.

*Tighe is good for our team. he chases hard and keeps people accountable and turning up. Take was good again tongiht. more reliable than last week and i thought he was quite good then.

*Don was safe as houses under the bomb....the Samurai should begin to worry anytime now.

*Mead was ok at back. few good touches, safeish except for that terrible kickoff.

***Disclaimer: this was all based on at the ground observation. this can be misleading some times.

*Forwards were good except for the usual suspects Harro and Mini. athough for a wet night Minis hands were decent enough.

*Carter is a super talent and very tough, very committed. But he needs to stop reading papers.He already thinks hes greg birds co captain and needs to dial it back a touch. Ryan james went through the stage too but hes come out the other side recently as a bit more Mature. Cater needs to get there too, but i know he is a kid and its good that hes confident to a degree.

* our backline shape is such a mess. a few times the cows let us out of trouble, we had 6 tackles at the 30 and we just stood in a flat line almost. and the people on the opposite side of the ruck need to reset there lines and position too, to at least give the hint we may go back that way.

All in all though, a gritty win, putting us into 4th after 4 rounds and time to work through our attack issues while not being in the spotlight like souths or cronulla are is a good thing, that most wouldnt have thought of a month ago. storm and broncs are the real deal though and we could well be 3-3 and in a **** fight in a fortnight.

DavidBouveng
31-03-14, 10:35 PM
also, Sezers kicking was pretty good now that im at home watching it, and Kelly lost THREE footraces to the ball. the one with 3 or 4 minutes to go, i wish he just dived on to get some possesion, but i guess we love Alby cos he takes those risks.

Titanic
31-03-14, 10:37 PM
Karnage ... I feel for you and Pete who face up to it every week ... I had the game on in the background while struggled with some paperwork which was infinitely more inspiring than our team's performance. My secretary asked me what it was and I told her it was for people who couldn't sleep.

shamus
31-03-14, 10:47 PM
Stuff the footy I am not convinced it was Brown Snake. I have not seen a clear image of it but the one I did see showed it had 'bulgy' eyes. If this is the case then it was simply a brown tree snake. Unusual to see it on the ground but none the less.

P.S. Still venomous, but rear fanged and unlikely to do too much damage. But media has it as a brown snake so what do I know.

karnage
31-03-14, 10:53 PM
be honest it was u that stood up and yelled out #sackcarty ha!

Haha!! Wasn't me. I don't really say that much at the footy. I just like to watch the game and talk to my mates that I go with every week.

DavidBouveng
31-03-14, 11:01 PM
the two lowlights for me.

Tariq Sims is a grub. how many guys got up wanting to deck him? i lost count.

and the membership guys printed some ones cards wrong so they had my numbers on them. as i was late, i was trying to convince someone who was technically in their ticketed seat...that it wasnt really their ticketed seat. Went down well. pay decent amount for the good seats, was a bit embarrassing to be shunted elsewhere. but im sure ill get it sorted when i call tomorrow.

DIEHARD
31-03-14, 11:02 PM
Stuff the footy I am not convinced it was Brown Snake. I have not seen a clear image of it but the one I did see showed it had 'bulgy' eyes. If this is the case then it was simply a brown tree snake. Unusual to see it on the ground but none the less.

P.S. Still venomous, but rear fanged and unlikely to do too much damage. But media has it as a brown snake so what do I know.

Thanks for that Steve Irwin! Haha!

GCT_89
31-03-14, 11:30 PM
Forget the performances, I had a great night.... Spent more time drinking and yelling rather than stressing over continual shhitty performances from Harrison, Mini and Co... (its great, drinking and yelling takes your mind off **** performances)

A win is a win, and we deserved it tonight after our 2nd half effort....
Saw about 40 seconds of Dave Taylor brilliance tonight... Talk about value for money... Wooo!

DIEHARD
01-04-14, 12:15 AM
This bloke has the world's most annoying voice.

<script height="314px" width="558px" src="http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#pbid=fd5fc71d2bcc4b60a622cf8d3348d605&ec=czMjJpbDpliuzRlLVrQ8VbhyfbuC8IxU"></script>

DIEHARD
01-04-14, 12:16 AM
For those that can't get enough of this person.

<script height="314px" width="558px" src="http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#pbid=fd5fc71d2bcc4b60a622cf8d3348d605&ec=5rZDJpbDqwL0YckVUWCueKqzrhk_8s2H"></script>

DIEHARD
01-04-14, 12:18 AM
We finally have the wood over a club, winning 4/5 out of our last games against the Cowboys.

This should be built on, make a Derby matter.

Titanic
01-04-14, 12:22 AM
It was a snake and it was brown but then what do I know too :)

DIEHARD
01-04-14, 01:32 AM
Brave Sezer defies doctors orders

Gold Coast five-eighth Aidan Sezer has revealed how he went against doctors orders to step up when his side needed him most, taking responsibility for the second conversion attempt and then slotting a field goal with 11 minutes to play on Monday night.

With a try to the Cowboys after the full-time siren Sezer's one-pointer proved the difference and helped vault the Titans to fourth on the NRL competition table, a position that would have been doubtful had Sezer not taken his place in the side.

Struggling to be passed fit after suffering a quadriceps strain in his left leg against the Tigers in Round 2, Sezer told NRL.com that he doubted he would play as late as Friday and that goalkicking was a major concern of the Gold Coast medical staff.

"I haven't done any goalkicking practice since the Tigers game, I haven't even kicked a goal since the Tigers game so that was the first one," Sezer said of his conversion of Brad Tighe's try that stretched the home side's lead to six points.

"Friday I was doubting myself a bit, I'll be honest, and probably didn't feel 100 per cent but it's the NRL and no one plays 100 per cent. I knew if I could get there or thereabouts I'd take my place in the team.

"The docs and the physio staff have been monitoring me really hard so they told me not to kick goals tonight because it was going to stir it up again. I knew with the situation of the game we needed the two points and I guess they'll be happy with me getting the two points.

"'Birdy' (Titans co-captain Greg Bird) took the first kick and he was going to take the one that we needed to convert but I knew that's my job in the team.

"I'm the goalkicker of this team and I think that responsibility falls on my shoulders. I stepped up and I got the kick and obviously it come in handy with them scoring the last try."

While halfback Albert Kelly provided the star power that got the Titans home in Round 3, it was Sezer's cool head and kicking game that punished a wasteful Cowboys outfit and improved their record to 3-1 after the opening month.

While coach John Cartwright was delighted with his on-field performance, it was his efforts to play at all that sent the greatest message to his teammates.

"It was just good the way he got back on the paddock. He probably could have had another week – they thought it was probably a bit longer injury – but he worked very hard and he wasn't going to have not playing tonight.

"That's always a good message for the team."

The Titans next assignment is a Storm side smarting from a 40-12 defeat at the hands of the Bulldogs but Sezer is confident that the spirit within the team will only be strengthened by gritty wins such as Monday night.

"To get the two points tonight is a confidence boost and I'm sure the boys will get a bit of morale out of this, it's good to close out games the way we did against such quality opposition," Sezer said.

"We know we have the team to match it with anyone and the boys in the middle there, they're second to none with their fitness and stamina. As long as we stay in the game it's up to me and my hooker and my halfback to get the boys there and we did that [against the Cowboys] and without playing our best footy we got the two points."

http://www.nrl.com/

C-Whiz
01-04-14, 07:54 AM
Forget the performances, I had a great night.... Spent more time drinking and yelling rather than stressing over continual shhitty performances from Harrison, Mini and Co... (its great, drinking and yelling takes your mind off **** performances)

A win is a win, and we deserved it tonight after our 2nd half effort....
Saw about 40 seconds of Dave Taylor brilliance tonight... Talk about value for money... Wooo!

Couldn't agree more. I haven't watched the replay yet, but last night was the best time I have had at the footy in a while!

The crowd was in voice, the game was exciting to watch (not good footy, but exciting) and the feeling after the field goal was that we had it wrapped up. Strangely, even going into the break 6 down it felt like we had the game in the bag.

It was a great night to be at the footy. As far as I was concerned (and my family and all the members around me), it was exactly the sort of vibe/game the crowd needed to remind us why we go to the games.

Going to the footy isn't about the quality of the football, it's about the feeling within the stadium. Last night felt great. It was fun, it was exciting, it was money well spent. :thumbsup:

C-Whiz
01-04-14, 08:06 AM
Snake just got a 5 year contractHaha, nice one. :laugh:

Whats the go with no 1 for Mead? I'm surprised Cartright didn't organise a #rise Zillman huddle. :boo:

TITAN PETE
01-04-14, 08:23 AM
Thurston searches for response
By Tony Webeck, Chief Queensland Correspondent
NRL.com
12:45am Tue 01st April, 2014


The exact nature of the content will remain restricted to those 13 Cowboys players left on the field at the end of Monday night's loss to the Titans but their response to Johnathan Thurston's spray after full-time will be evident when North Queensland host the Knights next week.

Thurston was extremely animated after calling his side into a circle following their one-point loss to the Titans but refused to divulge exactly which letters of the law he was laying down.

"That's just for us boys to know," Thurston said when asked what he had told them.

Pressed on whether he thought the dressing-down would have an effect, Thurston's response was simply: "We'll find out during the week."

Both Thurston and Cowboys coach Paul Green conceded that the side's preparation had been poor with a lack of urgency during training sessions a major area of concern.

Having led 6-0 at the break, North Queensland's chances were cruelled in the second stanza by a horror completion rate with Thurston, James Tamou and Kyle Feldt coming up with errors that handed the Titans possession in good attacking territory.

But despite such poor execution, Green saw enough in the effort of his players to make him believe that with a shot of confidence in attack they remain one of the toughest teams in the competition.

"We're not far away at all. We can certainly turn it around, there's no doubt about that," Green said.

"The thing is that the effort's there and while you've got that sort of effort, and that's across the board... Everyone's hurting when we lose like we did tonight and while blokes are giving that 100 per cent effort you're going to be in every game.

"What we need to fix up is not hard to fix up, whilst you've got that ethic and everyone cares about what we're doing.

"You don't know what the magical ingredient is when a team clicks, we haven't quite clicked yet in attack. While the effort's there – I can't fault the boys' effort – while that sort of effort is going in each week we'll never be too far away from any game and when we do get it right in attack we'll take some beating."

As for Thurston, he will start his search for answers on the training park when the side returns to Townsville on Tuesday.

"When you're tossing up the numbers that we're tossing up it makes it very hard for ourselves and we're the only people that can get us out of this," he said. "Training-wise we need to be better, preparation-wise we need to be better and when you're tossing up what we tossed up, it makes it very hard, and we still only lose by a point."

Titanic
01-04-14, 10:07 AM
That was a fine spray JT gave his mates and then was fortunate enough to be able to take it out on the ball too ... anybody else hear the crowd chanting "boring, boring" in the second half? ... lmao.

Toads
01-04-14, 12:44 PM
Once again, I tend to agree with Pete. Zillman or Mead should not be our long term prospects as Fullbacks. Not too sure of this Roberts bloke, but I tend to believe we need to go shopping for a specialist Fullback. It's just too much of a important position to have a mediocre player covering it these days..

teke
01-04-14, 01:27 PM
Once again, I tend to agree with Pete. Zillman or Mead should not be our long term prospects as Fullbacks. Not too sure of this Roberts bloke, but I tend to believe we need to go shopping for a specialist Fullback. It's just too much of a important position to have a mediocre player covering it these days..im sure Mead is better than Roberts.

All the fbs I wanted at the club won't come here or the coach doesn't want eg. Tomkins , JOC, Barba. Locke is prob the only viable fb we have to chase ATM.

Hail Sezer
01-04-14, 01:48 PM
im sure Mead is better than Roberts.

All the fbs I wanted at the club won't come here or the coach doesn't want eg. Tomkins , JOC, Barba. Locke is prob the only viable fb we have to chase ATM.

Saw that coming ;)

teke
01-04-14, 01:57 PM
Saw that coming ;)how when I tell u daily?

Hail Sezer
01-04-14, 01:58 PM
how when I tell u daily?

answered your own question xox

teke
01-04-14, 01:59 PM
I thought I had to make it very obvious for u young fella

shamus
01-04-14, 02:42 PM
Changed my mind again after looking at the nrl clip you posted (annoying voice guy)...I have gone for Keelback.

Totally harmless.

oh.......and Cartwright's post match interview went something like this...."Conditions weren't suited to playing good football"....something along those lines.. What tha!! It didn't freakin' rain until half time! Conditions were fantastic!

teke
01-04-14, 03:39 PM
Changed my mind again after looking at the nrl clip you posted (annoying voice guy)...I have gone for Keelback.

Totally harmless.

oh.......and Cartwright's post match interview went something like this...."Conditions weren't suited to playing good football"....something along those lines.. What tha!! It didn't freakin' rain until half time! Conditions were fantastic!a few guys stated that the ball was terribly slippery with the humidity.

That's prob what carty was aiming at

Titanic
01-04-14, 03:53 PM
I thought he was talking about the snake infestation.

shamus
01-04-14, 05:03 PM
a few guys stated that the ball was terribly slippery with the humidity.

That's prob what carty was aiming at

Yep....didn't think of that. I left that up to someone else to think of. I knew I would not get let down.

DIEHARD
01-04-14, 05:14 PM
I thought he was talking about the snake infestation.

Definitely too many snakes laying around.

TITAN PETE
01-04-14, 05:45 PM
Changed my mind again after looking at the nrl clip you posted (annoying voice guy)...I have gone for Keelback.

Totally harmless.

oh.......and Cartwright's post match interview went something like this...."Conditions weren't suited to playing good football"....something along those lines.. What tha!! It didn't freakin' rain until half time! Conditions were fantastic!

Our resident Snake expert is right with his description of the Harmless Snake :thumbsup:

Titanic
01-04-14, 06:18 PM
My wife suggested that it had been attracted sexually to the tv cables that were lying around ... you know what girls are like, one track minds and all that.

ozynorts
01-04-14, 07:03 PM
That was a fine spray JT gave his mates

Bird gave the Titans a real spray after the final Cowboys try as well. He looked filthy and was giving it to them.
Overall the game was boring to watch on the TV. It may have been better at the ground. Harro and his his mate Mini can retire whenever they are ready. I hear Harro may have had a case to answer about the shoulder charge, I hope so....

DIEHARD
01-04-14, 07:15 PM
Ash will definitely get some time for that blatant shoulder.

DavidBouveng
01-04-14, 07:34 PM
a few guys stated that the ball was terribly slippery with the humidity.

That's prob what carty was aiming at

cos if it was very dry we would have been tossing it around like nobodys business wouldnt we?

Mexican titan
01-04-14, 07:45 PM
Overall the game was boring to watch on the TV. It may have been better at the ground. Harro and his his mate Mini can retire whenever they are ready. I hear Harro may have had a case to answer about the shoulder charge, I hope so....

At the ground the atmosphere was quite good but it was a dreadful standard and easily the worst quality I have seen this year. I know I shoudn't complain with 3 wins from 4 but this style will just drive people away and the attack is just pathetic but hey it's what we have all been saying. Mind you there were glimpses of attack in the last 15 minutes.
Both sides from last night would have been flogged by most other sides.

DIEHARD
01-04-14, 08:58 PM
They really need to lay off the PA chants towards the end. It makes us look so lame.

Supergoose
01-04-14, 09:34 PM
I'm not sure what game most on here were watching with the bagging of Harrison and Minichiello. Yes Harrison made a couple of errors and gave away a couple of penalties, but he ran the hard lines and made over 100 metres and he was hitting and sticking in defence and made 48 tackles. He was one of the real goers out there who made a couple of unfortunate errors which if he hadn't of made, he would've gone close to best on ground. Taylor was ordinary, so thankfully Minichiello played okay and Alby needs his head read as we could've iced the game had he have dived on a couple of those balls instead of kicking ahead again. I'm certain Bird gave them both a serve at the end of the game before they left the field. Sezer was excellent but someone has to start wearing the blame for our impotent attack.

karnage
01-04-14, 09:52 PM
I'm not sure what game most on here were watching with the bagging of Harrison and Minichiello. Yes Harrison made a couple of errors and gave away a couple of penalties, but he ran the hard lines and made over 100 metres and he was hitting and sticking in defence and made 48 tackles. He was one of the real goers out there who made a couple of unfortunate errors which if he hadn't of made, he would've gone close to best on ground. Taylor was ordinary, so thankfully Minichiello played okay and Alby needs his head read as we could've iced the game had he have dived on a couple of those balls instead of kicking ahead again. I'm certain Bird gave them both a serve at the end of the game before they left the field. Sezer was excellent but someone has to start wearing the blame for our impotent attack.

Someone does wear the blame mate.

Toads
02-04-14, 06:48 AM
Ash will definitely get some time for that blatant shoulder.

Indeed, there's always been a level of Dagginess associated with some fans of the game. But listening the announcer carry on with that the other night definitely over stepped the boundaries.. :laugh:

Titanic
02-04-14, 10:08 AM
Harrison was carrying on a crusade with that shoulder ... at one stage he tried to put on three in a row ... I really don't agree 'Goose with your comments about Harrison ... he was busy sure enough but he was walking into the defence with Myles, leading with one shoulder and is one of the main reasons we are stifled in attack, along with Sezer who just doesn't seem to know how to get the team around the park.

Toads
01-05-14, 09:23 PM
Try time celebrations..

http://oi60.tinypic.com/rtdh76.jpg