Round 2: Melbourne Storm vs Gold Coast Titans

[hammer]

My thoughts are that we need to persevere with Luke Capewell at 5/8...he needs and deserves the time to find his presence in the Titans structure and playing with Princey. It is my belief that if we don't invest in Capewell we only suffer in the long run. Yes...he appeared a little lost at times but to be fair it wouldn't be easy just slotting into a well-drilled team that has been largely together for many years.
I believe that Carty is thinking long-term and won't react after 1 game.

[Ryan]

We need more badger in 2011!

More Gavin Badger, 'female badger', the animal badger or banter-badger?
Honey badgers are physco and tough, we should let one of those go in the Storm dressing room pre-game!

[Boofhead]

More Gavin Badger, 'female badger', the animal badger or banter-badger?
Honey badgers are physco and tough, we should let one of those go in the Storm dressing room pre-game!

God I love the Badge.

Legion, get to work at making a banner!

[titansrawesome]

God I love the Badge.

Legion, get to work at making a banner!

A effing GREED hes the only good ref in the comp and he always gives us good games and we usually win when he is reffing, its pretty sad that he is the ONLY good ref in the whole comp

[Tamwelg]

Campbell to play 250th NRL match against the Storm
Adam Gardini
15/03/2011 1:16:49 PM
Jetstar Gold Coast Titans crowd favourite Preston Campbell will celebrate his 250th game this weekend when the club travels to Melbourne to tackle the Storm in their first match at AAMI Park on Saturday night.

Campbell will notch the important milestone after 14-years at the top in a distinguished career in which he has been awarded the Dally M Medal, won a premiership with Penrith and proudly represented his people as the inaugural captain of the Indigenous All Stars.

The 33-year-old excitement machine was today named by Jetstar Titans coach John Cartwright in an 18-man squad for Saturday night?s Round 2 clash against Melbourne.

The versatile talent has been named on the interchange bench as he embarks on a new ?super sub? role for the Jetstar Titans to start the 2011 season.

Jetstar Gold Coast Titans v Melbourne Storm
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 5, Gold Coast 3, Melbourne 2
AT AAMI PARK: Yet to play at the venue

1 William Zillman
2 Kevin Gordon
3 Steve Michaels
4 Clinton Toopi
5 David Mead
6 Luke Capewell
7 Scott Prince (c)
8 Luke Bailey
9 Riley Brown
10 Matthew White
11 Greg Bird
12 Bodene Thompson
13 Ashley Harrison

INTERCHANGE

14 Michael Henderson
15 Sam Tagataese
16 Ryan James
17 Preston Campbell
18 Mark Minichiello

www.titans.com.au

[Tamwelg]

Storm: 1. Billy Slater 2. Matt Duffie 3. Dane Nielsen 4. Beau Champion 5. Anthony Quinn 6. Gareth Widdop 7. Cooper Cronk 8. Adam Blair 9. Cameron Smith 10. Jaiman Lowe 11. Kevin Proctor 12. Sika Manu 13. Ryan Hinchcliffe
Interchange: 14. Todd Lowrie 15. Bryan Norrie 16. Troy Thompson 17. Jesse Bromwich

Titans: 1. William Zillman 2. Kevin Gordon 3. Steve Michaels 4. Clinton Toopi 5. David Mead 6. Luke Capewell 7. Scott Prince (c) 8. Luke Bailey 9. Riley Brown 10. Matthew White 11. Greg Bird 12. Bodene Thompson 13. Ashley Harrison
Interchange: 14. Michael Henderson 15. Sam Tagataese 16. Ryan James 17. Preston Campbell 18. Mark Minichiello

Referees: Ashley Klein and Adam Devcich

[Boofhead]

Referees: Ashley Klein and Adam Devcich

Not bad, better than those bunch of turkeys Maxwell & Haynes.

[karnage]

Now we just have to cross all of our fingers and toes that it is Henderson that Mini comes in for and not one of the other boys, such as Ryan James, who provided us with such impact off the bench.

When Taga, Preston and James came on they made their presence felt out on the field by putting it to the opposition, either with big hits or strong runs. Hendo gets dominated every time he runs it and couldn't hit the skin off a rice pudding.

Time to go Hendo.

Please.

[patskE]

goto look to contain champion... he really got over the top of us last season.

[CairnsTitan]

would like so see walker and esi in the team sometime soon

[Supergoose]

Not sure that we will lose Henderson for Minichiello - who will be the prop rotation James? Tagataese? Bird? It won't be Minichiello. I agree though that Henderson isn't having the same impact as some of the others but he is workman like and every team needs a couple of those. I guess James could do the job - he is certainly big enough and Taga could be a revelation as a prop! I hope we get our backline sorted out. Toopi was great in defence but gave us little in attack and Michaels was no better. We miss Tomane and Tonga and would love to see them back punching holes on the edge of the ruck soon.

[TITAN PETE]

Not sure that we will lose Henderson for Minichiello - who will be the prop rotation James? Tagataese? Bird? It won't be Minichiello. I agree though that Henderson isn't having the same impact as some of the others but he is workman like and every team needs a couple of those. I guess James could do the job - he is certainly big enough and Taga could be a revelation as a prop! I hope we get our backline sorted out. Toopi was great in defence but gave us little in attack and Michaels was no better. We miss Tomane and Tonga and would love to see them back punching holes on the edge of the ruck soon.

James play prop in the 2nd half on Saturday night

[Tamwelg]

James play prop in the 2nd half on Saturday night

On top of that, every game James has played for the first grade side so, he has been a bench prop.

It's a bit of a tough position for Carty to be in, who do you leave out for Mini to come back in?

[TITAN PETE]

Titans primed for the Storm
Luke Turgeon | March 17th, 2011

THEY look more like a sun shower than the mighty Storm.

But the Gold Coast Titans are expecting no less intensity from the rebuilt Melbourne line-up when they clash with the disgraced former premiers at AAMI Park on Saturday night.

The invincible aura the Storm carried for most of the past decade has worn off in the wake of last year's salary cap scandal, which resulted in the club being stripped of two premierships and forced to cut loose a host of big names.

Titans back rower Mark Minichiello conceded the Storm were a shadow of their former selves but said the Gold Coast remained wary of the Craig Bellamy-coached side.

"They are still a great side but they are not as strong as they have been in the past," Minichiello said.

"They had to lose a lot of players.

"But they have always produced great young talent through that club, so I don't think it will hurt them too much.

"They are still a well-drilled side, well disciplined under their coach there, who has done a great job.

"We are going to have to be up for a challenge."

For years Melbourne have started the season as grand final favourites, but in 2011 some experts are tipping the Storm will struggle to make the top eight.

Gone are the likes of big-name stars Greg Inglis, Ryan Hoffman, Brett White, Brett Finch, Jeff Lima and Aiden Tolman.

In their place stands a bunch of journeymen and a few unproven youngsters.

But as long as the spine of the team stays in tact -- captain Cameron Smith, halfback Cooper Cronk and fullback Billy Slater -- the Storm will still be a threat.

In stark contrast, the Titans are brimming with talent to start the season, with competition for spots the toughest in the club's short history.

So deep is Gold Coast coach John Cartwright's talent pool, that the likes of former Storm golden boy Joseph Tomane and ex-Test prop Brad Meyers will start the year in the Queensland Cup.

Named 18th man on Tuesday, Minichiello yesterday said he was preparing for the Storm encounter as if he would be playing, his first game since undergoing groin surgery 12 weeks ago.

"I am preparing like I am playing, you have to when you are in the 18," he said.

"I am pretty confident that I should take the field this week.

"This week I am feeling great, probably 100 per cent or close to."

[Coaster]

I hope we get our backline sorted out. Toopi was great in defence but gave us little in attack and Michaels was no better. We miss Tomane and Tonga and would love to see them back punching holes on the edge of the ruck soon.

We need Prince to take the line on, he is cramping the whole backline by running sideways constantly.
He needs to straighten up, the only time he did this against the Dragons, he kicked for Harrison and we scored.

Capewell was giving him quality ball, just Prince first movement is always toward the sideline, giving the defense a easy slide, if he straightens up, they have to plant there feet, and that gives the centers a chance and our wingers a chance to even play.