Prince...

[Super Cronk]

Are any Titan fans getting worried about Prince and his constant injuries? he has been injury prone for many years now...many different injuries it seems this guy just cant take a break. He is an awesome player and has alot of good footy in him but much like Benji Marshall he cant seem to string many games together. I know the latest one isnt as serious as previous injuries but thats still time off the field and the titans will suffer with-out him.

[Paul]

The short answer is it's extremely worrying for us


Any side needs their key player to stay fit and on the park and the Titans are no different. We are a completely different side when Prince is on the field.

To win the premiership we need Scott Prince fit all(or nearly all the season)

[Super Cronk]

So what do the titans do? do you guys start looking for new halfbacks in the near future?...or just hope for the best?

[Steve]

Hard to say. He's one of the best halfbacks in the game today, so you want to keep him, but there needs to be a plan b.

Preston stepping into the halfback position is good for the moment. He's a great player, spent a lot of his career in the halves.
Rogers and Campbell are getting on in years, so in the not too distant future I think we'll be looking to Rankin moving into the halves. If Prince gets injured there's the option of a Zillman/Rankin combo. It seems like Zillman is wanted in the 6, so we'll be looking at Rankin or someone else for the 7 anyhow.

I think the biggest issue is the halfback runs the whole team. It's the hardest position to replace. I suppose they need to be training with other players working in that area so they have some combinations going if someone else has to step in. Don't wait until there's an injury, but have that training going on through the year.

Maybe we need someone other than Rogers in the 6, a true playmaker who can step up if Prince is injured, and playing in that role all through the season so there's less disruption to the team.

[Cowboy Titan]

As many have said before, put Presto permanently in the halves and Zillman at fullback. The Titans have plenty of options at wing & fullback so with Presto & Prince in the halves, Rogers or Zillman can readily step in to cover for either of them without the team suffering as much.

[Capital_Shark]

seems this guy just cant take a break.

Legs, arms & a collar bone from memory.

[patskE]

u have to put campbell in halfback casue the players respect him. but u should throw raikin into training with em, and get him to run the same plays and stuff so the players get use to him n stuff.

[Ryan]

Prince had a decent run at the Tigers injury free didn't he, almost 2yrs mabey?
His injuries aren't like Benji's or SBW's - he's not getting re-curring injuries, you'd have to just say he's just unlucky with the broken bones. And everyone pulls a hammy every now & then, thats just footy I suppose.

Preston is awesome at Fullback, but seeing him in the halves Friday was better. Having Prince & Presto in the halves would be mouth watering, we wouldn't lose anything with Zillman at Fullback and we all know Rogers was much better in Center. With Kevin Gordon and Shannon Walker still up our sleeve, we'd have the best attacking backline in the comp.

[Chaos]

So what do the titans do? do you guys start looking for new halfbacks in the near future?...or just hope for the best?

I wouldn't be looking to replace a top class half back like Prince...however, I would be looking at the 5/8 position.
If we had another genuine half that specialises at 5/8...he could easily cover for an injured half back.

I still think Preston should be 5/8 and Rogers running out wider.

[Supergoose]

Moving Rogers out wider seems to be a recurring theme, a bit like the Inglis one. Playing Preston in the halves also seems to get a good run. Not sure that playing Preston in the front line week-in, week-out is a good idea. I'd love to see us utilise Preston off the bench at 5/8 after 25-30 mins each game so he can close out the last 50 mins or so. Push Rogers out to centre and use Delaney in the forward rotation.

I know Prince put a stack of games together back-to-back for around 3 years down at the Tigers and the first year with the Titans and his injuries have been more bad luck than bad management. Let's hope the management of this particular injury is good and it seems to be.

[Blunt_Beno]

preston to the halves, rogers or zillman to the centres, the other at fullback.

but thats not gunna happen, most prob wont agree, but id like to see friend given a run in the halves with lawton at hooker, could be whats needed. or even ben jefferies, apparently he is a very good 5/8. i dont think rankin is maturely ready yet, he will just end up a wasted talent like benji marshall if he is played in first grade regularly i believe.

[curly_11]

i tend to agree not rushing rankin into the number 7. Plus the club is playing him at 5/8 because thats the position he excels in...If things did go really bad Kayne lawton used to be a half back and thats the position he wanted to play but is being converted into a hooker.

There is no replacement for prince and yeah he's had his share of injuries but so has everyone else....in the time with the titans the broken arm has been the most damaging.

A pulled hamstring happens in all forms of sport, i myself pulled my quadricep just kicking the footy around whilst cold the other day...out for two weeks and then game on...

Not the end of the world but would be nice if he makes it to the end of the season injury free....he sure does deserve it

[TITAN PETE]

He has a strained Hamstring & nothing else at the moment so lets hope thats the worst injury he'll see in 09' , i think we'll be looking for his replacement in 3 years time & we already have him in Rankin ...........

Look at the positive from last week , one of the Titans best ever wins at home & Scotty was sitting in the stands watching like us

[titanstattman]

April 1st, 2009

FOOTY CONFIDENTIAL

THE TITANS have promised he is no chance of playing, but the Melbourne Storm aren't convinced.

The Gold Coast's unusual decision to rule Scott Prince out so early in the week has the Storm thinking the match-winning playmaker is poised for a `shock' return.

Prince was close to playing against the Bulldogs last Friday, given right up to the day of the match to recover from a hamstring strain.

So the news he is no chance to take on Melbourne eight days later has understandably raised a few eyebrows.

One sceptic is former Titan forward-turned Storm recruit Matt Cross (pictured).

"That is an early rule out," he said.

"I remember the Titans did that last year a couple of times. They ruled him out early in the week and he made a `shock' return.

"From what I heard it was only a strained hammy and not too bad.

"If he was close to playing against the Bulldogs ... that was Friday and they have the long turn around until the Saturday game when we play.

"They probably just threw the same team out and will play with it later in the week."

Cross joined Melbourne this year after a forgettable season with the Gold Coast in 2008.

The younger brother of NSW enforcer Ben, he moved to the Storm and more specifically under Craig Bellamy in the hope of re-igniting his NRL career.

Cross is yet to play a game for the Storm this year but was yesterday named on a six-man bench for the clash against his old club. LUKE TURGEON

AS 1950s group The Four Aces once sang, wedding bells are breaking up an old gang, in this instance at the expense of Queensland Australian Football League premiers Southport.

The Sharks kick off a new first division season with a headline round-one clash against new boys Northern Territory Thunder in Darwin on Saturday night. But the wedding of former champion spearhead Ben McEntee is going to keep four, perhaps five, Sharks stars out of the historic match.

Skipper Darren O'Brien, David James, Dane Carmody, Glenn Screech and Dan McEntee are all attending Big Ben's marriage to long-time girlfriend Jet Rooke.

"I didn't plan it (wedding) on being on the same day as the first game, but they (the QAFL) then changed the dates," explained McEntee, who will play with second division Surfers Paradise this season.

The loss of so many key performers is not fazing coach Craig Crowley.

He says it will be a good test for the club's depth.

"I'm not overly concerned, it gives someone else a chance," said last year's premiership coach.

The Southport exercise to Darwin is one of two huge matches for Gold Coast clubs on the weekend.

The other is the derby between Broadbeach and Labrador at Merrimac Oval. TERRY WILSON

IT WAS a proud moment for Titans under-20s coach Steve Murphy when teenage flyer Kevin Gordon made his NRL debut against the Bulldogs last Friday.

Gordon was the sixth player promoted to first grade from Murphy's band of young blokes in just over 12 months.

Not only is Murphy producing the goods, his under-20s side is so far undefeated in 2009.

"As exciting as it is that the 20s are winning, it was more exciting for me to see Kevin Gordon make his debut outside Esi Tonga last week," said Murphy, who helped Tonga make his NRL debut from the Toyota Cup last year.

"Now he gets an opportunity this week to back that up.

"I am excited that we are getting players to progress through and we want to turn them into 100-game first graders, not just one or two game players.

"If we do that then the future is going to be nice and bright and secure for the Coast," said Murphy.

Gordon joins Tonga, Jordan Rapana, Shannon Walker, Will Matthews and Jordan Rankin as the other Titans Toyota Cup graduates to first grade. LUKE TURGEON

A NUMBER of senior footy executives could be tempted to dance with the devil and jump ship on the Gold Coast in the coming months.

With an NRL, AFL and A-League team now on the Gold Coast many ambitious and money hungry executives are checking to see if the grass is greener on the other side.

Footy Confidential can confirm at least one senior administration member from a code has made a formal approach to take up a position across town.

The person in question was unsuccessful in their bid, but has certainly opened an intriguing off-field merry-go-round.

There's no doubt the bosses of all three teams will be looking at the strength of each other's front office.

We'll keep you posted on potential moves. DANIEL MEERS

www.goldcoast.com.au

[Chaos]

I'd love to see us utilise Preston off the bench at 5/8 after 25-30 mins each game so he can close out the last 50 mins or so. Push Rogers out to centre and use Delaney in the forward rotation.

Not a bad suggestion Supergoose, I like it...but it seems the ruck is quickening up now that two refs are on the field.
A lot of coaches are thinking that it's a good idea having a fresh back on the bench but I think they a putting too much pressure on the limited bigger forwards.
I say rotate more forwards on the interchange to keep them fresh.
The fresher they are, the harder they work on the field. The smaller opposition would be struggling to find the tired forward.