Round 3: Gold Coast Titans vs Canterbury Bulldogs

[curly_11]

tbh it might be good for prince to be out?
get other players to step up, like the 2nd rowers and get their season going. also might force carty to move zillman, campbell and rogers around when he comes back if they put on a good showing

Man you really have it in for our second rowers this year! Our second rowers pretty much carried the team last year and have an average first two games and your calling for the sack. Our 2nd row is one of the best in the comp like it or not! Give them a few more games before you give them the chop!

[Steve]

Man you really have it in for our second rowers this year! Our second rowers pretty much carried the team last year and have an average first two games and your calling for the sack. Our 2nd row is one of the best in the comp like it or not! Give them a few more games before you give them the chop!

I have to agree! Actually Laffranchi was probably our best forward last week. Just behind Friend in the tackle count, made more runs and metres than anyone else. Sure, he didn't make a heap of line breaks and score a hat trick, but he put in a lot of walk. Mini's been going pretty well too I think.

We could be winning our games 60-0 and there'd always be someone wanting to make changes.

[Assassin]

hmmm if it was 50 50 Id lean heavilly toward letting prince rest at this stage in the season. Presto is the right man to fill at 7 and even if its a loss at least you've got a fit prince for next week.... as opossed to rushing him in and ending up out for a month or worse.

to be an NRL coach.... im sure carty will cop it no matter what call he makes.

[titanstattman]

Pat McLeod

March 26th, 2009

INJURED Titans co-captain Scott Prince believes his Gold Coast NRL team will prove tomorrow night that they can win without him.

Although Prince will be given to the 11th hour to prove he is over a hamstring strain for the crucial Friday night clash with the Bulldogs at Skilled Park, the body language yesterday suggested he won't be there.

The scheming halfback felt far less hamstrung by the injury yesterday, but he and team officials are concerned with the risk.

"Unless Princey is 100 per cent fit he will not play. That is the opinion of coach John Cartwright," said club managing director Michael Searle.

Moving past the speculation over his own fitness, Prince said the opportunity was perfect for the Titans to prove they were not a one-man team.

"Of course they can win without me," he said.

"To suggest anything different is a ridiculous statement.

"If I don't play it is a great test of our depth and a great challenge. It will also prove to everyone that this is not a one-man team.

"I don't like the fact that we are looked at by some in that way. It is disrespectful for everyone involved.

"If I don't play I want the boys to go out and do the job."

The Titans 2008 Player of the Year Preston Campbell will slot into halfback in Prince's absence. William Zillman, touted as a future Origin player, will come off the bench to fullback and brilliant youngster Shannon Walker is the likely choice to come on to the bench.

Searle said the club was in a far better position to cover for Prince than last year, when his demise through a broken arm resulted in the club nose-diving from top of the ladder to missing the eight.

Back then they called on a 16-year-old Jordan Rankin as one fill-in. Although the youngster is highly thought of by the club, the fact he isn't being considered this time around is an indication of the greater depth.

"We don't have the same fear as in other years," said Searle.

"We have a quality fullback coming in in William Zillman and Preston, a former Dally M winner at halfback, coming in as the seven.

"Presto still has a lot of potency in that position. His attacking potential, I believe, is even greater now because of the increased speed of the game and the fact that the bigger blokes will be tiring at certain stages."

Prince said the strained right hamstring was feeling a lot better yesterday.

"I was actually more confident today then yesterday of playing," he said.

"I can move a lot more freely without tightness through the hamstring. Obviously the work of the medical staff is paying dividends.

"It is just one of those things that you have to take day by day.

"But at the back of my mind is the risks involved, the thought of missing one week as opposed to six to eight.

"We will probably make a decision tomorrow.

"The team will be training as if I won't be there and that has to be the approach they have to take."

With away games to the Storm and Cowboys following this round, the Titans desperately need to bank two points at home tomorrow night.



www.goldcoast.com.au

[curly_11]

If prince doesnt play im sure we will be fine! Our team has increased its attacking potential with Zillman at fullback and Chris Walker on the wing.... Add to this Henderson starting with White coming off the bench at a hundred miles an hour and i think our pack will be able conter that of the dogs... (its probably good for cannings to get dropped because he was rather poor over the first two rounds)

If S Walker does get the final spot hopefully he will provide some of the amazing attacking potential he showed back in 2007 and this year in the Q Cup. his biggest problem is his defence especially his positional play. That will come with more experience hopefully...

Just need our centres to step up more in attack....but Im happy and pretty confident we can get the 2 points on offer!

PS Ennis is a dog

[DIEHARD]

What our team might lack in Princey it won't lack in strike power if they pick S Walker along with C Walker and W Zillman along with Preston Campbell and E Tonga.

[hully gully]

One thing is the dogs will be struggling with any video homework on us.....
will be very interesting to see it unfold on friday night

[teke]

The Backs will line up like this tomorrow night.

1 Zillman
2 Gordon
3 Tonga
4 Delaney
5 Walker

Its gonna be interesting to see how that line up goes

[amaline]

The Backs will line up like this tomorrow night.

1 Zillman
2 Gordon
3 Tonga
4 Delaney
5 Walker

Its gonna be interesting to see how that line up goes

Will or should? I'd be very interested in seeing Gordon playing first grade.

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast v Bulldogs

Friday, Skilled Park, 8.35pm

Referees: Jared Maxwell, Alan Shortall
Head to head: Titans 1, Bulldogs 2
Last match: Titans 24-20 at Skilled Park, round 10, 2008
TAB Sportsbet: Titans $1.65, Bulldogs $2.20
Footy TAB: Bulldogs +3.5 points

The Titans will appreciate going back home after losing on the road against the Dragons last weekend. They won their first-round match in impressive fashion at home, coming from 14-0 down against the Knights to win 34-20. There has been an injury cloud over Titans halfback Scott Prince since he strained a hamstring on Monday, and coach John Cartwright has given him until late today to prove his fitness. His availability or otherwise is obviously critical.

The Bulldogs will come together hard as a group going into this game, because of what happened in their game against Penrith last weekend. The Bulldogs engineered a late escape to win, 28-26, but it subsequently emerged they had 14 players on the field at the time they scored their winning try and they are set to lose the two points. The siege mentality will be in evidence and if there is a club that knows how to overcome off-field problems and win it is the Bulldogs. That makes them very dangerous in a game like this. The Titans are favourites at home, but only slightly. We've got a real contest on our hands here, with the result likely to be decided by just a few points.

TITANS: Preston Campbell, Esi Tonga, Josh Graham, Brett Delaney, Chris Walker, Mat Rogers, Scott Prince (capt), Luke Bailey (capt), Nathan Friend, Michael Henderson, Anthony Laffranchi, Mark Minichiello, Ashley Harrison. Interchange: Matt White, Brad Meyers, Luke O'Dwyer, William Zillman, Aaron Cannings (one to be omitted)

BULLDOGS: Luke Patten, Hazem El Masri, Josh Morris, Jamal Idris, Bryson Goodwin, Ben Roberts, Brett Kimmorley, Ben Hannant, Michael Ennis, Chris Armit, Gary Warburton, Andrew Ryan (capt), David Stagg. Interchange: Lee Te Maari, Greg Eastwood, John Kite, Ben Barba

Source: http://www.leaguehq.com.au

[DIEHARD]

Titans v Bulldogs Preview

Skilled Park, Friday 7.35pm (Qld Time)

THE Gold Coast Titans are the latest Jekyll-and-Hyde team in the NRL. They are one team at home and quite another when away. Already this season their win-loss record is directly related to where they are playing. So it is lucky the Titans are playing the Bulldogs at home this weekend.

Technically undefeated after two rounds, the Bulldogs are hurting after having their points stripped from their win over the Panthers because of an extra man on the field when Ben Roberts scored the match-winner.

The Bulldogs are appealing the decision but the chance to win a game this week legitimately will be a huge motivation.

Unlike the Titans, the Bulldogs are a new team this year. With a new coach and most of the Broncos? 2008 pack, this team has turned a corner.

Watch out Titans: The Broncos connection within this team is already proving to be their X-factor, and now with Greg Eastwood on board they have gained another tough element.

Eastwood turned his back on the NRL last season and signed with the UK Super League, but a whole bunch of speeding fines prevented him from getting a visa.

The Bulldogs benefited from his unfortunate situation and after spending all off-season waiting around for his future to be sorted, Eastwood is clearly just happy to be back on the field. Against the Panthers he was given just 39 minutes but managed a try, three offloads, 77 running metres and 18 tackles.

Coach Kevin Moore will be confident to use Eastwood even more effectively this week. It is not just his work rate the Bulldogs will benefit from, but also his ability to offload and break through tackles at the most crucial point in games.

Watch out Bulldogs: The Titans love playing at home. That new, state-of-the-art stadium seems to be their 18th player. Being in that comfort zone really gives some players a leg-up.

Five-eighth Mat Rogers, who was largely ineffective last week, revels in that home-ground atmosphere. Down in Wollongong against the Dragons he was barely sighted. He missed six tackles and had no impact on the play in setting up tries. He ran the ball just four times.

That?s in stark contrast to Round 1 when the Titans overcame the Knights at home. Rogers was very involved in that match, running the ball 12 times and making over 100 metres. He scored a try and set up another.

The Titans? main playmaker Scott Prince is in doubt for this game after going down at training early in the week. For the month leading up to the NRL season talk floated around about the Titans? inability to win without their halfback. If Prince does not make it onto the field, much of the side?s direction will need to come from Rogers. Luckily they will be at home, and Rogers loves showing his skills around Skilled Park.

Where it will be won: Like so many games, this one will really come down to who dominates in the forwards.

Last week the Gold Coast were totally dominated by the size of the Dragons? pack. Luke Bailey and co. tried hard but were underdone in the size stakes.

The Bulldogs, on the other hand, have strength and skill jammed into their stacked pack. Ben Hannant is a powerhouse, and with Eastwood coming off the bench, they lose nothing when their best players are off the field.

The Titans are going to rely on the heavy work rate of their second-rowers Anthony Laffranchi and Mark Minichiello. What these two lack in size they more than make up for in heart and effort. If the Titans? back-rowers can dominate, it is likely most of their points will come through their forwards.

Laffranchi and Minichiello both have the ability to punch through the line from a well-timed pass close to the in-goal, while the Bulldogs? second row is more about no-frills hard work.

The Bulldogs will be desperate to get the ball wide to their new superstar, schoolboy Jamal Idris.

The History: Played 3; Bulldogs 2, Titans 1. The Titans won the only game at Skilled Park, a 24-20 nail-biter last season.

Conclusion: The Bulldogs? pack has the firepower to dominate the Titans and if they continually get over the advantage line, Idris and Josh Morris need just a small amount of space to strike a blow.

Further motivation for the Bulldogs has come from the deduction of their two points and they will be doing all they can to claw their way back to the top of the table.

However, the Titans have a formidable home record and skill in the forwards to counter the brute force of the Bulldogs. Whether they can hold out the momentum of a fired-up ?Dogs is the query.

Match Officials: Referees ? Jared Maxwell and Alan Shortall. Sideline Officials ? Adam Devcich & Steve Carrall. Video Ref ? Paul Simpkins.

Televised: Channel 9 ? Live 7.30pm (Qld), delayed 9.30pm (NSW); Fox Sports ? Delayed 1pm.

* Statistics: NRL Stats.

Source: http://www.nrl.com

[DIEHARD]

Aside from the Scott Prince cloud, this game is really a home coming to the NRL for Chris Walker and Michael Henderson, coming back after a long road from injury. Both two class players that I'd have in my top 17 any day.

[patskE]

gordan had a mad game vs dragons, so many line breaks. me and my mates where watching from the hill and where amazed how many times he jsut got past like 5 ppl

[GCT_07]

The best picture I can imagine tomorrow night at full time is that Princy has not played and has rested up instead, getting ready for Storm and the other players stepped up and CRUSHED the bulldogs....... I'd skip all the way home if that happened....... ummmm ....no I lie...... I would put mental images forward about skipping before realising what a stupid idea it would be and be content with a scream of "you ****ing beauty" instead.

[DIEHARD]

I reckon we can do it without Princey. Sure losing your bluechip halfback is devastating for any team, but we aren't any team. We won't have to deploy makeshift halves.

We have players such as Preston Campbell, Dally M player of the year while playing at halfback and also Zillman. We still have Rogers at 6 and we still have Friend at 9 keeping us moving. We even have Rankin in Toyota Cup.

We can still field an electric team, but tomorrow's battles will be in the forwards. We gotta smash 'em up front!