Sense of deja vu as Roosters loom

THE PRINCE DIARIES by Titans capatain Scott Prince

DEJA VU may not be a common term in every NRL player's vocabulary but there is a strong sense of it in the Titans camp this week.

The victory dance for beating the Dragons ended on Monday night with our focus shifting to Bluetongue Stadium for tomorrow night's date with the Sydney Roosters.

The halfway mark of the season has just ticked over, we are on top of the table and are playing the cellar dwellers.

Hence the deja vu. At the back of our minds is a similar game last year.

We were on top of the ladder, we played South Sydney who were on the bottom and we played away at Stadium Australia to a small house of just over 9000 fans.

We lost and that game started our slide down the ladder.

So all week there has been a resolve not to let that happen again.

That's why there has been no continued celebrations as another supposed hoodoo fell with our first win over the Dragons.

We never saw that as a hoodoo. The same as we didn't see the following as hoodoos:

1. Titans can't win away,

2. Titans can't win without Prince or,

3. Titans can't beat Manly.

The more people put those in our face the more we saw them as challenges to be ticked off. The same as the Roosters tomorrow night are a challenge.

I see this game as one of the most important of the season. After this we have another bye, so a four-point game.

The same as the Souths game last year, I am expecting a small crowd.

You'll be able to hear a dog bark up the main street of Gosford, so the atmosphere factor will be down.

Sure, beating the Dragons was great, but that was also a game that wasn't hard to get up for. Big match, big crowd, at home.

This is a real test of our mental game.

OK, what an interesting week it has been.

Saturday: Kristy and I took in the Winternationals drag racing with good mate, jeweller and racer Stu Bishop. Great day. Can't wait for Indy. Put the Audi through it's paces on the way home. Note to Brett and Bec Frizelle: You may get some expensive transport department pics in the mail (just kidding).

Sunday: Ballwork session at Skilled. Has been a long preparation for this game. Peaking well.

Monday: Bizarre day. Swine flu hits with Harro and Gilly sent home and Boof and Bails in some doubt during the day. Credit to the team how we held our focus. Rapt with win over the Dragons. Short week so no major partying.

Tuesday: Recovery session in freezing water at North Burleigh surf club. Kept the motor racing theme going and seeing movie Fast & Furious with Kristy and `third wheel' Scotty McGregor.

Wednesday: Skills session and then off to have coffee with Kristy and Leukaemia Foundation fundraiser Gillian Rumpf. Kristy is gearing for her head-shaving episode on June 28 at the Sheds Warehouse, 5/131 Old Pacific Highway at noon. Jumping castle and other Titans players there. Come and help my favourite girl raise money for a great cause.

Thursday: Day off training. Guest host at radio SeaFM. Birthday party for my twin cousins Elle and Nikki.

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