Round 8: Gold Coast Titans vs Sydney Roosters

[teke]

IMO I would prefer Shannon at FB purely because he is a freak when he gets going and i would prefer Tomane over Mead as i think Mead needs to get cut to inspire him back to his potential. (Ready for the abuse from Teke and co for critising their love child )

You f'n asked for it

Nah

Ok you are Mead, what do you do on the field apart from have friendly banter with the touch judges? Week in week out he goes in for the ball and week in week out he has Zilly and Bird telling him to stay wide. Funny isnt it that the 2 players telling him to stay wide are 2 of the main 3 that have super glue on their hands. Stick Tomane in their and nothing changes

[DIEHARD]

Consistency, control key for Titans

Gold Coast Titans hooker Nathan Friend. Pic: Brendan Radke
"YOU can't compete if you don't complete."

That was the simple yet striking response Gold Coast Titans hooker Nathan Friend gave yesterday regarding to his side's below-par start to the NRL season which culminated in two dropped balls late in their last-minute loss to Parramatta at the weekend.

Camped on the unlucky 13th rung ahead of their showdown with fellow cellar-dwellers Sydney Roosters at Skilled Park tomorrow, Friend said there had been much focus this week at training on controlling the pill.

"We just played around in the mud today and hopefully that helps for the weekend," the cheeky No.9 quipped in relation to the inclement conditions at Robina yesterday.

"Nah, we're trying to make ourselves aware of the completion rate and when and when not to throw that ball.

"Our completion rate this year has been down around the 50 to 60 per cent mark while teams like the Broncos who are up the top are around 80 per cent."

The workhorse hooker will celebrate his 100th game in Titans colours on Saturday and is desperate to mark the milestone with a win.

However to do so Friend said the out-of-sorts Gold Coasters will need to find some consistency.

Consistency aided by coach John Cartwright's decision to name an unchanged 17-man squad for the third week in a row.

"We need to get back on the horse," he said.

"Our form has been pretty patchy all year and we need to find some consistency.

"John's is trying to show some loyalty to the guys who have performed in the past.

"We mightn't have had the best game last start but I'm confident we'll turn it around this weekend."

Beaten grand finalists' last year, the Roosters too have endured a tumultuous start to their NRL campaign.

And while the absence of bad boys Todd Carney and Anthony Watts will again test the visitors, Friend said the Sydney-siders are not to be underestimated having last year beaten the Titans in round 12 - the only other occasion the two sides have met at Skilled Park - and thumped them during the preliminary final in Brisbane.

"They've had their ups and downs as well as we all know," Friend said.

"But they've performed well here in the past.

"We just need to worry about our own backyard and getting it right."

Kick off is at 5.30pm.

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

[DIEHARD]

PRINCE: Kick masochists to the curb
Scott Prince | April 29th, 2011

As the Oxford dictionary explains, 'Masochism is the enjoyment of an activity that appears to be painful.'

The Titans have become past masters of this and I appreciate it must drive our fans crazy.

Last Sunday was a classic example. We had that game and the Eels in our grasp. But we allowed both to slip away.

There are many great traits within this club, but also a couple of worrying ones. The most concerning for me is our inability to put teams away.

This isn't a modern phenomenon. It has been part of our club since inception, however when you are having an ordinary run, as we are now, it is the glitches in our game that stand out like neon signs.

On Sunday we had our foot on Parramatta's throat and we should have applied the killer blow, but instead the masochist in us appeared.

Instead of being tough and methodical the masochist in us let our concentration wander and dropped ball and missed tackles were the result.

I am not talking about the last few minutes. I am talking about the last 60 minutes. We were in control that entire time and with three minutes to go we should have been ahead by 20, not just two.

It is understandable that people have a crack at a player who stuffs up in the final minutes of the game. But just as much to blame is the masochists among us who made a similar mistake at the 20-minute mark.

To say that Carty was unhappy with us would be an understatement. And he had every right to be filthy. We let him down and we let the club down.

Another annoying factor about the Eels game is that we went against one of the great traits of this football team.

We actually have been a team that has been able to defend a lead.

The stats show that we seldom get run down in the last 25 minutes. But again the masochists had their day.

We caused ourselves and our fans needless pain.

The question now is what to do?

The answer is simple. Rugby league is not rocket science. Each player has his job, his workspace. Each of us has to complete our own individual tasks.

If we do that we will have a successful outcome. For most of this season each of us has not been doing our allotted tasks and the results speak for themselves.

The time to change it up is now tomorrow night against the Roosters.

We now go into a stretch of four games in South-East Queensland. We now have to draw a line in the sand.

The time for second chances is over. I am not talking desperation football. I am suggesting we get back to the brand of football that brings us success.

We certainly can do that and we certainly can get back to a winning formula.

We just have to kick the masochist to the kerb.

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

[Titan_Blue]

You f'n asked for it

Nah

Ok you are Mead, what do you do on the field apart from have friendly banter with the touch judges? Week in week out he goes in for the ball and week in week out he has Zilly and Bird telling him to stay wide. Funny isnt it that the 2 players telling him to stay wide are 2 of the main 3 that have super glue on their hands. Stick Tomane in their and nothing changes

I bet Mead would get some more ball with Tomane as his centre partner...

[TITAN PETE]

My mail is just Get on the Titans ,, we will be winning

[teke]

My mail is just Get on the Titans ,, we will be winning

Im on em big this weekend

[Supergoose]

Princey must have been reading the forums. Pretty much what we've all been saying.

[Rage]

Prince always says the right things, just a case of if he and the team actually carry it out on game day

[Titanmudgee]

I have it on very good authority that presto is still only 50/50 tonight and if he doesn't pass fitness this afternoon there could be a few suprises in the team. There have been a few players instructed to turn up expecting that they could play. My mail is Tomane will be coming in and mead to fullback if presto doesn't pass fit. Let's see will make a lot of people happy on here.

[DIEHARD]

Looking forward to the game, see you all there. Looking forward to that home ground advantage!

[Coaster]

I have it on very good authority that presto is still only 50/50 tonight and if he doesn't pass fitness this afternoon there could be a few suprises in the team. There have been a few players instructed to turn up expecting that they could play. My mail is Tomane will be coming in and mead to fullback if presto doesn't pass fit. Let's see will make a lot of people happy on here.

That is good news, he is getting closer

[Rage]

^ Starting to get excited if that's the case

[teke]

Here we come Rooster Scum

[titansrawesome]

dont tempt me with tomane, god i hope this is true

[Titanmudgee]

Presto has been given to 5 to prove if not its Tomane time