Round 10 Brisbane Broncos v Gold Coast Titans

[TITAN PETE]

I just heard on the radio that Prince is in doubt due to a hamstring strain during kicking practice today..........along with Boof & Bull in doubt this makes for bad reading before our Biggest match of the year

[DIEHARD]

We need Bull out there, especially in the form he displayed last weekend, particularly in the Test.

I guess it is going to be a watchful couple of days looking out for results of Laffranchi and also our injury status.

[GCT_89]

this will be Anthony Laffranchi*, and Mark Minichello's 50th games for our club, The Mighty Gold Coast Titans!!!!!! much better milestone then the highly anticipated 200 nrl games for prince.....IMO

* If he plays

[DIEHARD]

Brisbane Broncos v Gold Coast Titans
Friday 7.35pm (EST), Suncorp Stadium

The Adjudicator says: "Every year Brisbane whinge and moan about how the representative season is in place solely to plot their downfall. So clearly there were other factors at work when the Broncos stopped caring against Manly. Gold Coast fans can ready themselves for a fresh helping of deja vu - as at this time last year, when the Titans slipped from the top of the table to NRL anonymity. Expect more of the same as Gold Coast's stumble turns into landslide."

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

[DIEHARD]

This Adjudicator is an idiot. This time last year we beat the Broncos at Skilled Park 26-24.

[DIEHARD]

Titans sweating over Prince injury scare

Gold Coast halfback Scott Prince has thrown a scare into the Titans camp on the eve of his 200th premiership game after feeling a "twinge" in his hamstring at training on Wednesday.

While Prince is still expected to notch up his career milestone against his former club Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night, his hamstring scare was the last thing the Titans needed with fellow co-captain Luke Bailey in serious doubt with a calf injury.

A question mark also hangs over test back-rower Anthony Laffranchi, who is facing the NRL's judiciary on Wednesday evening hoping to beat a grade one striking charge.

The Titans chances will crash if both Laffranchi and Bailey miss the local derby and be almost impossible if Prince's hamstring turns out to be worse than first thought.

Prince missed two games for the Titans earlier this season - the club claiming victories over the Bulldogs and Melbourne in his absence.

He felt a pain in his hamstring while doing "extras" after team training on Wednesday morning.

Brisbane meanwhile are confident fullback Karmichael Hunt (corked thigh) will pass a fitness test at Red Hill on Thursday morning after missing last week's loss to Manly.

Test centre Justin Hodges (hamstring) though is no certainty to play although he trained on Wednesday and will be re-assessed along with Hunt on Thursday.

Hodges, who scored two tries in his comeback game for Australia against New Zealand last Friday, looked proppy and only a 50-50 chance of playing.

The clash is tipped to attract a crowd of more than 40,000 with two of their previous four clashes being decided by golden point.

"There's been some real crackers and it's built up a tradition in its very short history," said Broncos coach Ivan Henjak.

"What I've seen so far in the clashes we've had they've been pretty ferocious.

"You certainly don't need to focus the players.

"We've lost two games so I'd expect them (players) to be as focused as they'd ever be."

Source: http://www.NRL.com / AAP

[Boofhead]

Worst case scenario:

1. Zillman
2. Gordon
3. Tonga
4. Delaney
5. Walker
6. Rogers (c)
7. Rankin
8. Cannings
9. Friend
10. Henderson
11. Graham
12. Minichello
13. Harrison

14. Meyers
15. Mathews
16. Thompson
17. O'Dwyer

[Steve]

Worst case scenario:

1. Zillman
2. Gordon
3. Tonga
4. Delaney
5. Walker
6. Rogers (c)
7. Rankin
8. Cannings
9. Friend
10. Henderson
11. Graham
12. Minichello
13. Harrison

14. Meyers
15. Mathews
16. Thompson
17. O'Dwyer

Is Campbell injured?

[Boofhead]

Is Campbell injured?

He's in doubt but he played on with the injury in the second half against the Knights. He will most likely play, so we would slot him into 7 if Princey is out.

[Boofhead]

Pressure on Bailey after Laffranchi ban
Wed, 13 May 2009 20:13:58

Injured Titans forward Luke Bailey said the suspension of Test teammate Anthony Laffranchi has upped the ante on him playing against Brisbane on Friday night.

With news on Wednesday that co-captain Scott Prince was under intensive treatment for a hamstring problem, Laffranchi's suspension after he failed to beat a grade one striking charge, is a savage blow to the Titans who may yet lose Bailey's go forward game.

"It does put extra pressure on me to play," said Bailey.

"I tore my calf three days ago so I'm putting pressure on myself anyway.

"I don't really like my chances being a Friday game ... I'm 50-50.

"I've just started to get to walk going without a limp.

"If Boof (Laffranchi) is out, I'll feel the pinch but I'm not going to go out and do myself more damage and leave the team a player short, especially against the Broncos."

Bailey will attempt to run at training at Runaway Bay on the Gold Coast on Thursday morning.

"If I'm not running tomorrow I doubt I'd be running on Friday," he said.

Bailey said there were risks associated with rolling the dice on such an injury.

"Whether you needle it up and tear it more and put yourself out longer is another thing," he said.

"It would be a tough game to miss.

"The annual derby is the game you look forward to most at the start of the year.

Prince, who missed a few early NRL games with hamstring problems, is still expected notch up his 200th premiership game against his former club Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

His hamstring scare doing "extras" after training on Tuesday is the last thing coach John Cartwright needs.

Brisbane meanwhile are confident fullback Karmichael Hunt (corked thigh) will pass a fitness test at Red Hill on Thursday morning after missing last week's loss to Manly.

Test centre Justin Hodges (hamstring) is no certainty although he trained on Wednesday and will be re-assessed along with Hunt on Thursday.

Hodges, who scored two tries in his comeback game for Australia against New Zealand last Friday, looked proppy and only a 50-50 chance of playing.

"He always trains like that, that's just Hodgo," said skipper Darren Lockyer making light of Hodge's injury.

The clash is tipped to attract a crowd of more than 40,000 with two of their previous four clashes being decided by golden point.

"There's been some real crackers and it's built up a tradition in its very short history," said Broncos coach Ivan Henjak.

"What I've seen so far in the clashes we've had they've been pretty ferocious.

"You certainly don't need to focus the players.

"We've lost two games so I'd expect them (players) to be as focused as they'd ever be."

AAP

[Coaster]

FFS bailey have a teaspoon of araldite, your a prop ffs.

Biggest clash of the year, nothing a cup of concrete won't fix.

[patskE]

prince always does this, most of the time he does play, last time he didnt but :O
maybe friend 7? n bring in lawton :P
cant see em all being out aye. we should be able to cover it

[Tamwelg]

Justin Hodges trains; Titans lose Luke Bailey

Barry Dick | May 14, 2009 10:30am

TEST centre Justin Hodges has failed to complete training but is likely to line up against the Gold Coast at Suncorp Stadium tomorrow night. Hodges strained a hamstring playing for Australia against New Zealand last Friday, when he was named man of the match, and missed the Broncos' loss to Manly last Sunday.

He got through about half of this morning's final training run.

A final decision on whether he plays will be made tomorrow morning.

Representative fullback Karmichael Hunt was cleared to play against the Titans.
The Titans have been hard hit by injury and suspension.

After losing Anthony Laffranchi to suspension overnight, the news got worse at training with fellow Test forward Luke Bailey pulling out of the Suncorp Stadium match with a calf injury.
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Bailey didn't even attempt to take part in today's training session at Runaway Bay.

However captain Scott Prince (hamstring) trained and will play his 200th game while fellow playmaker Preston Campbell (hamstring) also got through the session.

Former Broncos Test and Origin forward Brad Meyers comes into the Titans pack in place of Bailey while Luke O'Dwyer takes Laffranchi's back-row spot.

With bench forward Aaron Cannings ruled out with a knee injury, Titans coach John Cartwright has dropped utility Josh Graham back to the bench in his place and promoted youngster Esi Tonga to start at centre.

The Courie Mail

[Tamwelg]

If I had to pick 1 player in our team that I would not like to be out it would be Luke Bailey. We are going to find it very tough with out him. At least Tonga is back in the centers.

The likely line up:

1. Preston Campbell
2. Kevin Gordon
3. Esi Tonga
4. Brett Delaney
5. Chris Walker
6. Mat Rogers
7. Scott Prince (c)
8. Brad Meyers
9. Nathan Friend
10. Michael Henderson
11. Luke O'Dwyer
12. Mark Minichiello
13. Ashley Harrison

14. Bodene Thompson
15. Will Matthews
16. Josh Graham
17. William Zillman

[Steve]

I know Graham can play second row but...

We're gonna get steamrolled.