Scott Prince facing greater challengge yet
STRUGGLING Gold Coast Titans skipper Scott Prince has made the sobering admission that arresting his club's horror start presents his greatest challenge yet.
The star halfback, who returned from a hamstring injury in Friday night's 22-12 loss to North Queensland in Townsville, knows he's playing like a busted tyre.
Prince has been nowhere near his sparkling best in the depleted Gold Coast outfit's 1-4 start to 2011.
Without the retired Mat Rogers beside him, Prince is struggling to challenge the line in attack, his kicking is off and he's falling off tackles.
But the 240-match veteran is hardly alone in an injury-hit squad that has managed just a golden-point win in Canberra last week from their opening five matches.
Significantly for the Titans, every one of their big names has faced injury or suspension setbacks early in 2011.
"This year is probably the most challenging I've ever faced," Prince said.
"We've had our ups and downs in the past but, in terms of starts to the year, this has been really challenging as a player.
"Even though I'm captain, I do believe everyone is a leader in their own right in the team. It's not just me.
"Across the board, it's been a really challenging start to the season.
"I can't say I can single myself out, across the board everyone is disappointed.
"It's not that the effort's not there.
"Everyone's working hard for each other but this year, if you're off just that slightest bit in any area of the game, you're going to pay for it."
Despite three matches remaining in round five, the Titans are guaranteed to sit last for points scored (62) ahead of next Friday's home clash with Wests Tigers.
In-form Gold Coast flyer Steve Michaels has been a rare attacking ray of light.
Worryingly for the Titans, fast-starters in their top-four runs in both the 2009 and 2010 seasons, teams have required a minimum 28 points in four of the past five seasons just to make the play-offs.
In addition to two byes, that equals 12-plus wins, with the Titans already facing a stiff challenge to secure at least 11 victories from their remaining 19 games.
"You want to win every game, but we'll be right," Prince said."We can't be sitting on our butts whingeing and whining and carrying on.
"We just have to re-assess, sort out the things we need to sort out, and get back into it again."
The injury and suspension disruptions to stars Anthony Laffranchi, Nathan Friend, Mark Minichiello, Brad Meyers, Ash Harrison, Preston Campbell and Greg Bird have hurt.
So, too, has Friend's public contract dispute with the club, with the popular hooker a key man in the side.
Add to that the retirement of veteran No. 6 Rogers and you get an idea why this gritty team is out of sorts.
"The disruptions ... we don't want to look at them as excuses, but it is hard," Prince said.
"You'd have to say Rat [Rogers] played a lot of time there in the past two years, so I guess in terms of combinations it is [starting again]."
The Titans will welcome back five-eighth Bird for the match against the Tigers, with Harrison (ankle) and Campbell (knee) both outside chances of playing.
But Bird's return is likely to be tempered by the loss of Laffranchi, who left Townsville on crutches with his right ankle in a space boot, just three games into his his return from off-season shoulder and wrist surgeries.
"I hate losing, I hate not playing well, especially being injured as well, I'm extremely disappointed," Laffranchi said. "I hate missing any game after doing a lot of hard work to get back. It's another little setback."
http://www.heraldsun.com.au