Round 26: Gold Coast Titans vs Wests Tigers

[titanstattman]

Brilliant news lets hope the "Sold Out" sign goes up before the gates open which may encourage more people to become members

They sold 1000 between 9am nd 1045am

[karnage]

From Daily Telegraph Website:

THE Gold Coast Titans have suffered a blow ahead of tomorrow night's NRL clash with the West Tigers after Luke Bailey was ruled out with a thumb injury.
Bailey underwent surgery earlier this week and hoped to play with a protective guard but has been ruled out.

Bailey is expected to be replaced in the front row by either Brad Meyers or Michael Henderson with Luke O'Dwyer tipped to be added to the bench.

The Titans must win their final regular season match at Skilled Park to ensure a home final.

Bit of a blow there and a surprise to see O'Dwyer in the mix - would have thought James or even Ridge had the jump on him. You think Taga has been overlooked because of the play the ball error when hard on attack against Sharks??

The Bull will definitely be missed but if we can win without him he should be raring to go for a home final in week 1.

[lonegull]

just heard from a mad tigers supporter that Daniela is out for the tigers with a bloke from the nsw cup by the name of Meaney likely replacement

[titanstattman]

No matter wat or who is playing we will win nd do it by 12 pts....

[DIEHARD]

Wow bad news about Bull but like Presto we need him for the Finals. If an extra week is for the best, so be it.

Really excited about tomorrows game and the huge crowd!

[Ryan]

From Daily Telegraph Website:

THE Gold Coast Titans have suffered a blow ahead of tomorrow night's NRL clash with the West Tigers after Luke Bailey was ruled out with a thumb injury.
Bailey underwent surgery earlier this week and hoped to play with a protective guard but has been ruled out.

Bailey is expected to be replaced in the front row by either Brad Meyers or Michael Henderson with Luke O'Dwyer tipped to be added to the bench.

The Titans must win their final regular season match at Skilled Park to ensure a home final.

Bit of a blow there and a surprise to see O'Dwyer in the mix - would have thought James or even Ridge had the jump on him. You think Taga has been overlooked because of the play the ball error when hard on attack against Sharks??

The Bull will definitely be missed but if we can win without him he should be raring to go for a home final in week 1.

The way I read it, either Meyers or Henderson will go from the bench to the starting side, which leaves a bench spot open for O'Dwyer. So maybe Taga isn't being dropped???? I wreckon Toopi would have copped more heat for his 'lapse' than Taga, not that Cartwright is quick to dropped players like that anyway.

[TITAN PETE]

Bull was never going to play & the team has trained all week as if that was the case,,,, Chalky has been training the house down & will grab this chance to try & show cause as to why he should be in the 17 & i for one am glad to see him back

I agree with Ryan that Toopi would've had his **** kicked after his brain explosion last week & hopefully he gets that dumb crap out of his game

Ryan James is needed in the 20's to try & grab their own semi spot..

[TITAN PETE]

No Bull as Titans hit pre-match hurdle
Luke Turgeon | September 2nd, 2010

TITANS pack leader Luke Bailey has failed in his bid to take on the Wests Tigers at Skilled Park tomorrow night.

Bailey, who underwent surgery to repair his fractured thumb on Tuesday, did not train with his teammates in their final session at Robina this morning.

Titans medical staff are hopeful that Bailey will be right to play in the first week of the finals.

As expected, Preston Campbell will also not line up against the Tigers as he continues to battle a hamstring tear.

Both Mat Rogers (hip) and Anthony Laffranchi (shoulder) are certain starters.

[Titanic]

A bit of trivia: my mother-in-law who is a non-English speaking Chinese has booked a flight back to Nanjing especially to join the mob of 20 or so Titans' supporters at my home for a bbq and the game (delayed telecast at 9pm). She and a group of her older mates stay glued to the screen during the games but the downside is they take a loss harder than I do... not this week though - Titans x 11.

[Coaster]

A bit of trivia: my mother-in-law who is a non-English speaking Chinese has booked a flight back to Nanjing especially to join the mob of 20 or so Titans' supporters at my home for a bbq and the game (delayed telecast at 9pm). She and a group of her older mates stay glued to the screen during the games but the downside is they take a loss harder than I do... not this week though - Titans x 11.

Haha thats cool, look for us on the big screen mate, we should do a banner for you

[Tamwelg]

O'Dwyer called in for Tigers clash

Jessica Bell
2/09/2010 3:11:06 PM

Jetstar Gold Coast Titans utility Luke O?Dwyer has been called up for tomorrow night?s blockbuster against the Wests Tigers at Skilled Park after prop Luke Bailey was today ruled out of the match.

Bailey fractured his thumb in the Titans upset loss to the Sharks last week, forcing him to miss the annual battle with the Tigers for the Larry Corowa Shield along with livewire Preston Campbell (hamstring).

Jetstar Titans coach John Cartwright said Bailey?s injury was worse than first expected with the prop suffering multiple fractures and a decision on his availability for the first week of the finals would be made next week.

?Well he only had an operation yesterday or the day before yesterday I think so it was a little bit bigger operation than what they initially thought. He?ll miss this week but at this stage we?ll just see how he progresses next week,? Cartwright said.

?You?re playing with a guys career so if the doctor says he?s okay and 'Bull' can handle the pain well then he?ll play next week ? but we?ll just have to wait and see.?

With Bailey ruled out, Cartwright has promoted O?Dwyer onto the interchange bench with experienced forward Anthony Laffranchi shifting to the starting front row and Greg Bird moving from the bench into the backrow.

?When you?re heading into this stage of the year your players will play anywhere for you; that?s what you want and that?s what we?ve got here,? Cartwright said.

Jetstar Gold Coast Titans captain Scott Prince added: ?He?s (Laffranchi) obviously played some footy up front and he?s certainly got the looks for front row, he?ll do a good job for us.??

The clash against the Wests Tigers is set to be a tough battle with the Titans banking on a win to secure a top-four finish and a subsequent home final in week 1 of the finals.

The team will be looking to improve on its performance from last week after suffering an upset loss to the Cronulla Sharks.

The main game kicks off tomorrow night at 7:35PM at Skilled Park. The Titans NYC game kicks off at 5:20PM.

www.titans.com.au

[Mushi]

Bugger about Bull missing out but I'd rather be full strength come finals time. Shows how good our depth is though this year - with a player like Bird coming off the bench to fill in. Hope Chalky has a great game - its taken him a while to get back into it - he was awesome before injuries hit him hard!!! Feeling great about tomorrows game - gonna be an awesome crowd - hopefully full of tiger hating titans fans!!!!

[Rage]

By Laine Clark AAP Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:01:37
A year older and wiser, the Gold Coast will be out to ditch their "choker" tag ahead of a night that won't just test the Titans' mettle.

The stakes may be higher for arch rivals Brisbane as they try to extend an amazing run of 18 straight finals campaigns with a big win over fellow top eight hopefuls Canberra at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

But the Titans (4th; 14-9) will be out to achieve more than a home NRL final when they line up against another top four aspirant - Wests Tigers (2nd; 15-8) - at Skilled Park on the same night.

For the second straight year the Titans are finals bound - and for the second straight year their mental strength has been called into question.

Alarm bells were ringing after the Titans' 2009 finals crash followed their spectacular 2008 season freefall.

And they weren't getting any quieter when the Titans were upset by the lowly Sharks last round with a finals tilt in sight.

But Titans coach John Cartwright believed the heartache of the past had only steeled his side as they looked to silence the critics.

Asked if his side were mentally stronger, Cartwright said on Thursday: "I think so.

"The intensity has picked up.

"We would like a top four spot secured, but that's in our hands.

"We don't have any excuses."

Ex-Test backrower Anthony Laffranchi - who returns from a shoulder injury to replace Luke Bailey (thumb) in the Titans front-row - was more forthright.

"We had some pretty good form coming into the finals last year and bowed out in straight sets," he said.

"We got that taste of defeat which is hard to swallow at that time of year.

"We are probably in a better mental state this time around."

And they will want to have their heads right.

The Titans will be tested on an emotional night that will see retiring dual international Mat Rogers play in his final regular season home game.

And of course there's the big loss of Bailey.

Not that the Titans can breath easy even if they do secure a home final.

They opened their 2009 finals campaign at home, and bowed out with a 40-32 loss to Brisbane at Skilled Park and 27-2 to Parramatta at the SFS.

But Cartwright did not think they choked.

"I definitely thought we were switched on last year - in my mind we just ran into two better sides," he said.

"Every week some side has to lose and we lost two big ones last year - people can read into that what they like."

In a worry for the Titans, Wests Tigers dangerman Robbie Farah was looking well beyond a top four finish.

"I thought from the start of the season we can win the comp and my opinion hasn't changed," he said.

"If anything I have grown more confident.

"We are in the semis now and we are confident with everyone fit and healthy we are a match for anyone."

[Rage]

I can't wait till the boys beat the Tigers. Especially the manner in which we lost last time - Farah sledging on Prince the whole night and then we got a sin binning.

[Blunt_Beno]

just about to leave bundy to head down to the coast, dont think ive ever been so excited about a game befor haha. Ill be sitting in section 25, not to sure were that is, but by memory its around the try line? gunna be a huge weekend, footy tonight, bday tomorrow, fathers day sunday haha. breaking out my big hat for this game lol.

So excited i could pee my pants :P