Well looks like we must have had something go our way. With the Draw for Panthers and the loss for Knights and Donkeys....... our loss (putting it nicely) last night hasnt cost us to the degree it could have.
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Well looks like we must have had something go our way. With the Draw for Panthers and the loss for Knights and Donkeys....... our loss (putting it nicely) last night hasnt cost us to the degree it could have.
Haven't read all previous post but the Titans had a side to win Friday night but just didn't have a go.
Why did we start the game at half pace...looked like we were just going through our plays at training...I understand the Cowboys have a strong defensive forward line but our starting props didn't penetrate the line at all.
Is Minichello the only Titans player that can hit a hole?
Even though we were behind, it was difficult watching our halves run across the field and no one to hit the gap. I'm not having a shot at the halves because Prince was stepping players creating an over lap and everyone else just watch him.
Mat Bowen did have one of his best games all year, setting up a Cowboys win...but we allowed his confidence to grow. The first set of six after the break should have ended with a bomb and six forwards coming through with a target on Bowen.
Not taking anything away from the Cowboys as they will trouble teams with that expansive attack...it suits Thurston who finished us off.
It's a tuff game...no tactical set plays can win a game of league by playing soft.
While Thurston and Bowen were outstanding the reason for them being able to have their way with us was because the Cowboys forwards handed our forwards a lesson. They rolled down the field with ease all night and our sub-standard kicking game was to blame for that too as their kick returns ate up serious metres putting them on the front foot. John Williams looked like he had spiders all over him or something. It's not the first time our forwards have struggled against the Cowboys pack and the Raiders pack caused us problems as well. Let's hope we can get some troops and some heart back this week and get back in the winners circle.
I said it and I was right. The Cowboy game was a danger game because we didn't have to win it. We lost and stayed in third place, no damage.
Cowboys were desperate to win considering their run home.
Desperation will win over complacency every day and twice on Fridays.
Not to worry, our desperate days will come real soon.;)
We're lucky that the teams below us (except Nth QLD) all have similar point differences so gives the Titans a better chance of staying in the 4
Coast ambush led by Cowboys posse of big boppers
TITANS boss John Cartwright has rejected suggestions he was tactically upstaged by reigning NRL coach of the year Neil Henry after a Cowboys ambush cost the Titans their unbeaten run at Skilled Park on Friday.
In a surprise move that put the Titans on the back foot early, North Queensland and Maroons State of Origin tactician Henry started the match with hooker Anthony Watts on the bench in an attempt to shock the Titans with six big forwards.
The plan worked, with the Cowboys pack gaining the upper hand in the critical opening exchanges and going on to lay a solid platform for game breakers Matt Bowen and Johnathan Thurston.
Asked if he was tactically caught out, Cartwright said: "Well we didn't know until an hour before kickoff (they would start with six forwards) but we thought from the side they picked that they would try and run through us.
"They picked all their big boppers.
"Watts starting on the bench, whilst it was a shock, I don't think it got us tactically at all.
"I thought it actually worked in our favour there a few times.
"They looked a little bit disjointed at the ruck there (with no specialist hooker)."
Thurston praised the efforts of his forwards after the match, while Henry said the first half was arguably his side's finest 40 minutes of footy all year.
Henry said he was pleased with how his six-forward stampede worked, with regular hookers Aaron Payne and Clint Amos sidelined with injuries.
"It gave us a bit more support in the midfield so that when we got the ball we had a few more options," said Henry.
"Matty Bowen (who slotted in at No.9 when Watts was on the bench) is quite good out of dummy half, he is pretty good with his hands there and he can play forward."
The Titans head to New Zealand this weekend still in search of a victory to put their top-eight spot beyond doubt.
Gold Coast skipper Scott Prince said the loss to the Cowboys, which halted their unbeaten run at home, was proof they still had work to do before being considered genuine title contenders.
"We seemed to have the momentum and we created the opportunities," said Prince.
"We missed Harro (Ashley Harrison) and (Anthony) Laffranchi around the ruck doing the tidy up work.
Representative forward Laffranchi returns from suspension against the Warriors, while Maroons backrower Harrison will be given every chance to overcome a rib cartilage injury.
"They have got some attacking brilliance with Matty B and JT and they took their opportunities and scored points with it.
"We are still missing some workers in there and I think that showed.
"But over all it game the guys an opportunity to see where we need to be."
http://www.goldcoast.com.au
AAAH!! my first game i missed all season as overseas and my boys loose.Just about to watch it now as it has been recorded for me so will have better imput on this forum tomr.But delaney gone hey?top 4 chance maybe??:D
Thanks for the article Diehard...but I still think Bigjim might be on the right track...I was disappointed not to see any determination to break through the line.
Maybe we could have ran more smaller forwards at there big fellas...and maybe we were without Laffranchi and Harrison but those two are mainly defenders and it was lack of forward momentum that give us the poor start.
The word 'Soft' stays in my mind.
what broncos juniors are false starting?Quote:
Originally Posted by DIEHARD