Round 1: North Queensland Cowboys vs Gold Coast Titans

[Smakked]

If anyone wants to reminisce about the Titans 2011 season head over to the Cowboys forum

Some angry angry dudes in there

LOL reading it now , not happy campers

[Toads]

Yeah..........I went and had a look. Geez.....I thought people on here bagged their own. We got nuthin' on this mob

LOL same, it's sounds as if a few want to go on a good ol' country lynchin' spree over on their forum.

[Titanic]

We were solid but not awe-inspiring.

On Peyroux, his defence saved us on several occasions and I wonder if anybody else feels that whenever the opposition hoists the ball we are in deadly danger? Zillman won't attack the ball, Mead has no idea what to do and Michaels is like a blind nun in a sandstorm. Gordon is no better either. Peyroux on the left wing, sack the gAyFL dimwit we've employed and get Gary Belcher down to training.

[Supergoose]

Hard to take pleasure out of beating a team who turned in such a miserable performance. This must be how our opponents felt playing against us last season. Still it is great to get a win and to have kept them scoreless. I predict big things from the Cowboys and not sure I'd like to be the Broncos who get them next week where they will be super fired up to bounce back. Still it was a good defensive effort by us.

Apart from Prince struggling and in turn our insipid kicking game we were decent, but also lucky that the Cowboys kept handing over possession. Our attack when we go up the middle is sublime. Myles, Bailey, Douglas and Mini were very good. Harrison was so so and Bird redeemed himself after a horror start. White was poor and BJ should get the nod for next week if Carty is serious. Lawton and Rankin provided some really nice touches, while Zillman was workman like. Prince showed very little, he'll need to get better over the next 3 or so weeks because the Q Cup beckons if he doesn't. Mead and Michaels were barely sighted 1. Because the cows couldn't get to their kick and 2. Because our centre pairing just didnt work and not always was it their fault.

I got howled down a season or two ago when I suggested Bird play in the centres. Well I'm going there again. I reckon our issue at the moment is we have backrowers who only like playing to the left and centres who prefer the right. I'd be lining Idris up on the right inside Champion in attack and playing Bird outside Minichiello on the left. Let's face it - that's where Bird plays anyway and there's no room for Idris over there - he was wasted (and still managed two tries). Have the winger and fullback playing off Birds offloads on the left and Idris delivering for Champion and Mead on the right. Will need to reorganize from attack and defence but this in my opinion is the best use of our current roster.

If I'm lining up our side in 4 weeks time and nothing has improved on tonight this is how I would manage it as far as attacking positions go. I wouldn't change a thing in defence.

1. Zillman 2. Gordon/Peyroux/Michaels 3. Bird 4. Champion/Peyroux 5. Mead 6. Lawton 7. Rankin 8. Bailey 9. Srama 10. Myles 11. Idris 12. Minichiello 13. Harrison 14. Douglas 15. Lawrence 16. Ridge 17. J.White/Thompson

I say put White at 17 because I still think Zillman is best at left centre. His talk seemed better tonight though and with Bird named at centre this would be the sub I'd make to add zip in the second half. I can't help thinking Jamal would kill it on the right even more.

In saying this, I'd be equally happy for the boys to come out and play better in their current spots next week but our left side looks crowded and our right side needs some X factor and the ability to get Mead some quality ball which I think Idris and Champion will do. Idris had some excellent touches tonight but too often Bird and mini got in the way and he didn't look comfortable. Idris was a track athlete used to running anti-clockwise with his left shoulder toward the middle of the ground - why mess with that just play him inside the right centre. May need to adjust in defence but it is a mouth watering prospect in attack. Anyway - who's next on the menu, let's see if we can execute the kicking game better. By the way - who is our back-up goal kicker if Prince is hurt or dropped?

[DIEHARD]

LOL reading it now , not happy campers

Teke you crack me up.

What a wonderful game, so great to have it over the Cowboys and keep em to nil. We didn't put the foot to the metal but we did well.

Was also great to hear and see the vocal Titans fans who made the trip up and from the local community.

[Nick]

As abysmal as the Cows were, it is still satisfying to start the year off with a win. Our attack was pretty poor, it will take time, prince will bounce back, and at least Rankin stood up. I would actually like to see Lawton get a run in the halves, he is a talent.. But our forwards dominated and that (along with the cowboys record amount of errors) won us the game. LOL @ Thurstons -6 points in DreamTeam. Gotta feel for the fans.. but then nobody felt sorry for us last year!

[Boofhead]

Missed the first half due to power outage...

We really should of put 40 on this mob tonight, they were woeful. We however did drop the ball over the line a few times... Don't want to knock the boys, they played there little hearts out and got away with the win. That's all that counts after all.

[teke]

Hard to take pleasure out of beating a team who turned in such a miserable performance. This must be how our opponents felt playing against us last season. Still it is great to get a win and to have kept them scoreless. I predict big things from the Cowboys and not sure I'd like to be the Broncos who get them next week where they will be super fired up to bounce back. Still it was a good defensive effort by us.

Apart from Prince struggling and in turn our insipid kicking game we were decent, but also lucky that the Cowboys kept handing over possession. Our attack when we go up the middle is sublime. Myles, Bailey, Douglas and Mini were very good. Harrison was so so and Bird redeemed himself after a horror start. White was poor and BJ should get the nod for next week if Carty is serious. Lawton and Rankin provided some really nice touches, while Zillman was workman like. Prince showed very little, he'll need to get better over the next 3 or so weeks because the Q Cup beckons if he doesn't. Mead and Michaels were barely sighted 1. Because the cows couldn't get to their kick and 2. Because our centre pairing just didnt work and not always was it their fault.

I got howled down a season or two ago when I suggested Bird play in the centres. Well I'm going there again. I reckon our issue at the moment is we have backrowers who only like playing to the left and centres who prefer the right. I'd be lining Idris up on the right inside Champion in attack and playing Bird outside Minichiello on the left. Let's face it - that's where Bird plays anyway and there's no room for Idris over there - he was wasted (and still managed two tries). Have the winger and fullback playing off Birds offloads on the left and Idris delivering for Champion and Mead on the right. Will need to reorganize from attack and defence but this in my opinion is the best use of our current roster.

If I'm lining up our side in 4 weeks time and nothing has improved on tonight this is how I would manage it as far as attacking positions go. I wouldn't change a thing in defence.

1. Zillman 2. Gordon/Peyroux/Michaels 3. Bird 4. Champion/Peyroux 5. Mead 6. Lawton 7. Rankin 8. Bailey 9. Srama 10. Myles 11. Idris 12. Minichiello 13. Harrison 14. Douglas 15. Lawrence 16. Ridge 17. J.White/Thompson

I say put White at 17 because I still think Zillman is best at left centre. His talk seemed better tonight though and with Bird named at centre this would be the sub I'd make to add zip in the second half. I can't help thinking Jamal would kill it on the right even more.

In saying this, I'd be equally happy for the boys to come out and play better in their current spots next week but our left side looks crowded and our right side needs some X factor and the ability to get Mead some quality ball which I think Idris and Champion will do. Idris had some excellent touches tonight but too often Bird and mini got in the way and he didn't look comfortable. Idris was a track athlete used to running anti-clockwise with his left shoulder toward the middle of the ground - why mess with that just play him inside the right centre. May need to adjust in defence but it is a mouth watering prospect in attack. Anyway - who's next on the menu, let's see if we can execute the kicking game better. By the way - who is our back-up goal kicker if Prince is hurt or dropped?

That's a dam lot of changes for a team that just won a game to zip.

U and I know there wont be any changes but they a little more polish which is what the rest of the season is for.

[gotitans101]

prince will bounce back

Well until that happens, Rankin deserves the kicking duties as he was much better in that department tonight.

[teke]

U and I know there wont be any changes but they a little more polish which is what the rest of the season is for.

meant to say "they do need a little more polish..."

[Blunt_Beno]

so many times mead could have scored in the corner, but dom didnt pass it out. still prince was the worst on the field. bout as average as he has been for about the last 18 months perhaps. needs to grow a pair and take the line on, we all know he has a foot, doesnt mean he has to use it every set..... but all in all, great win by the lads. rankin will hold that spot for a while if he keeps playing like that. which is what we need

[Blunt_Beno]

Hard to take pleasure out of beating a team who turned in such a miserable performance. This must be how our opponents felt playing against us last season. Still it is great to get a win and to have kept them scoreless. I predict big things from the Cowboys and not sure I'd like to be the Broncos who get them next week where they will be super fired up to bounce back. Still it was a good defensive effort by us.

Apart from Prince struggling and in turn our insipid kicking game we were decent, but also lucky that the Cowboys kept handing over possession. Our attack when we go up the middle is sublime. Myles, Bailey, Douglas and Mini were very good. Harrison was so so and Bird redeemed himself after a horror start. White was poor and BJ should get the nod for next week if Carty is serious. Lawton and Rankin provided some really nice touches, while Zillman was workman like. Prince showed very little, he'll need to get better over the next 3 or so weeks because the Q Cup beckons if he doesn't. Mead and Michaels were barely sighted 1. Because the cows couldn't get to their kick and 2. Because our centre pairing just didnt work and not always was it their fault.

I got howled down a season or two ago when I suggested Bird play in the centres. Well I'm going there again. I reckon our issue at the moment is we have backrowers who only like playing to the left and centres who prefer the right. I'd be lining Idris up on the right inside Champion in attack and playing Bird outside Minichiello on the left. Let's face it - that's where Bird plays anyway and there's no room for Idris over there - he was wasted (and still managed two tries). Have the winger and fullback playing off Birds offloads on the left and Idris delivering for Champion and Mead on the right. Will need to reorganize from attack and defence but this in my opinion is the best use of our current roster.

If I'm lining up our side in 4 weeks time and nothing has improved on tonight this is how I would manage it as far as attacking positions go. I wouldn't change a thing in defence.

1. Zillman 2. Gordon/Peyroux/Michaels 3. Bird 4. Champion/Peyroux 5. Mead 6. Lawton 7. Rankin 8. Bailey 9. Srama 10. Myles 11. Idris 12. Minichiello 13. Harrison 14. Douglas 15. Lawrence 16. Ridge 17. J.White/Thompson

I say put White at 17 because I still think Zillman is best at left centre. His talk seemed better tonight though and with Bird named at centre this would be the sub I'd make to add zip in the second half. I can't help thinking Jamal would kill it on the right even more.

In saying this, I'd be equally happy for the boys to come out and play better in their current spots next week but our left side looks crowded and our right side needs some X factor and the ability to get Mead some quality ball which I think Idris and Champion will do. Idris had some excellent touches tonight but too often Bird and mini got in the way and he didn't look comfortable. Idris was a track athlete used to running anti-clockwise with his left shoulder toward the middle of the ground - why mess with that just play him inside the right centre. May need to adjust in defence but it is a mouth watering prospect in attack. Anyway - who's next on the menu, let's see if we can execute the kicking game better. By the way - who is our back-up goal kicker if Prince is hurt or dropped?

i do like your halves combo. prince needs to be dropped to reserve grade for a while, deflate his big head! he has potential to be one of the games greatest, is just far to confident in his kicking game, which is gunna get him nowhere this season. take the line on and you will win many more games, with the players he has around him.....

[Tamwelg]

OMFG To all the people calling for changes and talking about who played badly..... REALLY! We won. We won. We won. Lets have some more talk about that and some more talk about how well our young guys like Lawton, Rankin, Srama and Ridge played, or about how well the new forwards in Myles and Douglas played, which helped us absolutely dominate the Cowboys pack, which someone on this forum proclaimed was the best in the NRL, or the rock that is Dom Peyroux, he made a crap load of tackle didn't miss many, if any, and hit hard with most of them. You could also talk about how good our ball handling, our discipline and missed tackle were compares to last year and it was done in tough slippery conditions. You could even make mention of a couple of back line movement late in the game from left to right that looked fast and smoother then anything we did last year.

To me there were a lot of positives to take out of that game and I think it was a great hit out to start the year.

[Chaos]

Lawton's pace of the mark and the ability to choose the right time to run was a highlight.

Idris was bought to score tries and didn't let anyone down.

Some sides are going to hesitate when attacking the Titans out wide...if they don't get it right, they will get hurt with Idris and Dom in the centres.

I wasn't fully sold an Rankin at 5/8...looked more like a running type of player rather then a ball player.
We still struggled to score when attacking the Cowboys line but a couple of kicks got us some points.

I don't remember the Cowboys finishing a set of six...has anyone got stats on that?

[ozynorts]

I think prince has about 3 more games to show he still has it and if he doesn't i can see searle going hard after Cronk.
Lawnton was good but the attack looked alot better once Srama came on. it is probably because he played so much last year so was more relaxed.
good start by Idris. the play for his second try was a play that should be used more. that close to the line it is near impossible to stop a big man at speed.
white imo is only there until bodene is back.
a good start but as always theres still work to be done.