Round 21: Gold Coast Titans vs North Queensland Cowboys

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast Titans vs North Queensland Cowboys
Friday 31 August 2009 - Skilled Park, Gold Coast

Tickets: CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS OFF TICKETEK

TITANS

1. William Zillman
2. Kevin Gordon
3. Esikeli Tonga
4. Brett Delaney
5. David Mead
6. Preston Campbell
7. Scott Prince
8. Matt White
9. Nathan Friend
10. Michael Henderson
11. Luke Bailey
12. Mark Minichiello
13. Brad Meyers

Interchange:
14. Aaron Cannings
15. Will Matthews
16. Josh Graham
17. Kayne Lawton

COWBOYS

TBA

[DIEHARD]

Time for the 2nd Queensland derby. Gold Coast vs North Queensland!

With a victory here we will be the undisputed Kings of Queensland!

It's our 3rd last home game and a Friday night will showcase the blockbuster.

Matt Bowen is back in fine form and Scott Prince and Jonathan Thurston are ready to renew their rivalry.

We are also shooting for 10 home wins in a row and maintain our perfect home ground record.

Ash (Ribs) and Mini (Knee) are pushing to be fit for the game.

Get your tickets at Ticketek! http://www.ticketek.com.au

[DIEHARD]

The Bulldogs were undefeated at home before the shock Parra victory in their derby.

Now it is up to the Titans to defend our home turf!

[kwigibo]

If the video refs like us as much as they liked Penny last night we can't lose.

[titanstattman]

If the video refs like us as much as they liked Penny last night we can't lose.

Just like on Friday night we will not need them............

[Coaster]

Is this the first time Esi has played against his brother Willie?

They will be matched up against each other also, so will make for some awesome viewing.

[DIEHARD]

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

[heidstar]

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??

[Chaos]

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.