Struggling Gold Coast Titans tipped to bring Mat Rogers back against Manly

[titansrawesome]

By Luke Turgeon
June 08, 2010
Experienced Gold Coast Titans centre Mat Rogers is poised to make a shock return from a knee injury against Manly at Skilled Park on Friday night.

Rogers has been missing from the Struggling Titans line-up since rupturing his medial ligament against St George Illawarra in round six.

Despite fears he was facing 12 weeks on the sidelines, the decorated dual international is set to be rushed back against the Sea Eagles just eight weeks to the day since he suffered the injury.

Rogers will not be named when Titans coach John Cartwright unveils his team on Tuesday, but a club source said Rogers was rated a better than 60 per cent chance of bolting into the side later in the week.

Other than the late inclusion of Rogers, Cartwright will resist the temptation to give his starting side a shake-up after they tumbled out of the top four with a 28-24 loss to Canberra on Sunday.

"We have got a short turn-around this week," said Cartwright.

"I thought the second 40 (against Canberra) was clinically as good as we have played all year and it was all stuff that we have spoken about the past couple of weeks.

"It came together pretty well.

"If a couple of decisions had've gone our way in the second half we could have got away with it.

"We played with much greater spirit and grit in the second half.

"We should have defended our line better in the first half than we did."

In a boost for the Titans, hooker Nathan Friend was on Monday cleared of a dangerous throw after being placed on report for a lifting tackle against the Raiders.

Lock Ashley Harrison is set to be named for Queensland, opening a spot for Bodene Thompson to return after serving a one-game suspension in the Queensland Cup.

Super-sub Luke O'Dwyer is also a chance to be included on an extended bench after making steady progress back from a knee reconstruction for feeder club Tweed Heads.

Fullback Preston Campbell (heel), five-eighth Greg Bird (knee), centre Joseph Tomane (shoulder) and interchange forward Will Matthews (concussion) are all nursing injuries from the Raiders clash but will be available for selection.

The Sea Eagles have their own concerns, with their player ranks to be severely impacted on by injury, suspension and Origin duty.

Back-rower Anthony Watmough suffered a groin injury during Manly's 22-6 loss to Brisbane on Sunday, joining Jamie Lyon (ankle), Brett Stewart (knee), David Williams (shoulder) and Steve Matai (suspension) on the sideline.

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

[titanstattman]

Please put the surce where u get this from please

[DIEHARD]

Yea mate just add

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

to any sories from the GC Bully.

But YESS!!! Bring back Mat! I think we have missed him SORELY!

Please return for us Mr Rogers! You bring so much to our team.

[DIEHARD]

Absolutely LOVE to see Chalky back with us. Naming him in even an extended squad would be a step on the road back.

[titansrawesome]

bodne is back too from suspension, i think its gonna be a major form reversal from now on, remember we are 4-1 with matty, bodene hits like a bulldozer and chalky is a super sub