Round 1: North Queensland Cowboys vs Gold Coast Titans

[hammer]

Having read some of the post-match comments throughout the latter part of this thread I must admit I am a little perplexed with some of the sentiments.
The Titans should be proud of this win as it signifies many things have changed from the Titans of 2012.
Firstly, our defence was intimidating and relentless for many parts of last night's match and in my opinion deserves much more credit for contributing to the Cowboys handling issues then just their players being off their game. In 2011 we were the worst defensive side in the competition.
Secondly, we played on their home turf where they had the vast majority of fans...home ground advantage is so strong these days and to hold them to nil was brilliant.
Thirdly, we have so many new players to our club and with youngsters stepping up...this can only bode well for the future as they develop some real combinations.
And lastly, there was a sense of everyone working for each other and not letting their team mates down. This indicates to me a tight knit group that has worked hard throughout the pre-season, somewhat different to what I saw last year!

[DIEHARD]

Our defence was certainly the best thing to come out of last night. More attack will come.

[teke]

What an intimidating defensive line the Titans have. I wouldnt be surprised if they keep the Raiders to below 10 points this coming weekend.

[Titanic]

Our defence was great and responsible for at least 6 of their errors but having sat through every other match and escaped the ire of my wife, I doubt we would have beaten too many of the other teams on that performance in attack. There is still a lot of work to be done.

[karnage]

Winning is great but inam glad to see nobodys getting carried away.

It's Cartwright I'd be giving 3 weeks not Prince. He had an entire off season with a new squad and he dished up exactly the same stuff as last year. The only reason we won was the fact the Cowboys played below a QLD Cup level and we have an improved squad.

What do you think the Warriors or Manly would have done to the Cowboys last night??

I've seen the game twice and I can not recall a solitary occasion where we completed a lateral shift from the centre of the field to a winger. All night we turned it back inside where defence was waiting for us.

Our defence was excellent but we need to score enough points on the other side of the ball to ensure that we don't have to rely on it every week.

We have a great team, but it has to improve fast to ensure that it does not become a season wasted.

[teke]

Our defence was great and responsible for at least 6 of their errors but having sat through every other match and escaped the ire of my wife, I doubt we would have beaten too many of the other teams on that performance in attack. There is still a lot of work to be done.

Massive diff between our attack and Manlys. Every time Brett Stewart got the ball it was from a player who ran to/or was at the defensive line, the Titans are doing their stuff well away from the line and it's allowing the defence to adjust comfortably

[teke]

Winning is great but inam glad to see nobodys getting carried away.

It's Cartwright I'd be giving 3 weeks not Prince. He had an entire off season with a new squad and he dished up exactly the same stuff as last year. The only reason we won was the fact the Cowboys played below a QLD Cup level and we have an improved squad.

What do you think the Warriors or Manly would have done to the Cowboys last night??

I've seen the game twice and I can not recall a solitary occasion where we completed a lateral shift from the centre of the field to a winger. All night we turned it back inside where defence was waiting for us.

Our defence was excellent but we need to score enough points on the other side of the ball to ensure that we don't have to rely on it every week.

We have a great team, but it has to improve fast to ensure that it does not become a season wasted.

I calculated Mead got the ball 3 times (yes 3 times) on the run from a backline move in the first 7 rounds of last year. The way this team has been structured - Mead, Michaels, Gordon will be looking at another lean year, but hey if the Team gets a Win then that's all that matters for most ppl.

[Titanic]

Yeah guys, I'm with you. I just went though the NRL stats and Douglas belted Minichiello in the key indicators. That whole debate about the starting team is a myth, imho. Douglas has to start, surely? And what about our response to a bomb ... gee, I nearly **** myself everytime the Cows even looked like kicking.

We are only as good as our next game and even with the camp Campo and the limp-wristed Dugan, blokes like Fensom and the pillow will cause us all sorts.

[teke]

Yeah guys, I'm with you. I just went though the NRL stats and Douglas belted Minichiello in the key indicators. That whole debate about the starting team is a myth, imho. Douglas has to start, surely? And what about our response to a bomb ... gee, I nearly sh1t myself everytime the Cows even looked like kicking.

The bomb causes all teams problems especially when it's contested, its just part of the game.

As for our kicks to the outside men, they could have been alot better

[Chaos]

the Titans are doing their stuff well away from the line and it's allowing the defence to adjust comfortably

Your not wrong...I saw Titans attempt an out-ball, in-ball move and it was completed before the defense decided who to take.

Carty needs to watch how Kieran Foran takes the ball to the line

[teke]

Your not wrong...I saw Titans attempt an out-ball, in-ball move and it was completed before the defense decided who to take.

Carty needs to watch how Kieran Foran takes the ball to the line

Yeah Foran was the example I was referring to, you gotta be fearless and he is.

[Princey's Titanz]

Carty should be telling Dom Peyroux that he needs to give the ball out to the wing.

At times during the Cowboys game when we were 10m out from the try line, Dom got the ball i would think 'yes give it out to Mead so he can score through the gap'. Instead he takes a hit up.

And he also did an unnecessary kick when he couldve have given it out to Mead.

I dont know if people realised but whenever Dom got the ball there were a fair amount of Cowboys trying to tackle him which creates a one on one for Mead. He does drag out defenders out of there position.

He needs to learn to trust his winger. Im not telling him off but these little things lead to tries.

Dom had an outstanding match in defence. If he works on his attack then he will definitely be a regular first grader.

Did Mead even touch the ball in the Cowboys game?

[DavidBouveng]

Carty should be telling Dom Peyroux that he needs to give the ball out to the wing.

At times during the Cowboys game when we were 10m out from the try line, Dom got the ball i would think 'yes give it out to Mead so he can score through the gap'. Instead he takes a hit up.

And he also did an unnecessary kick when he couldve have given it out to Mead.

I dont know if people realised but whenever Dom got the ball there were a fair amount of Cowboys trying to tackle him which creates a one on one for Mead. He does drag out defenders out of there position.

He needs to learn to trust his winger. Im not telling him off but these little things lead to tries.

Dom had an outstanding match in defence. If he works on his attack then he will definitely be a regular first grader.

Did Mead even touch the ball in the Cowboys game?

had three runs.

mostly due to cowboys almost never getting to the kick, and also dom wouldnt release the ball to him.

i do think zillman or the person inside dom positioned him awkwardly a few times so he was aiming into mead already, but he could def have given it a few times as well.

its easier to iron out these kinks though when you arent under a blowtorch of pressure, so hopefully a few wins in the first few weeks will give them some space to suss it out.

[CairnsTitan]

Just checked the stats and Dom had 35 tackles, thats a huge amount for a center

[teke]

An entire game and the Cowboys hardly got to a kick