Round 9: Gold Coast Titans vs Wests Tigers

[DavidBouveng]

Bias aside 50/50 without pressure? I have every game of his ever played and that's not true at all.

He has only played 4 times at FB for PNG, Im talking about the 10+ games straight in Q Cup, he is very capable of playing FB well. Shannon Walker gets a go, Presto gets a go, Zilly gets a go, Rankin gets a go and Graham gets a go but Mead doesnt because of a hunch....hmmm. I think its more contractual than anything else.

Can you explain this a bit more? you mean his, or zillmans contract?

[Supergoose]

I don't know what our right wing options are, but I'm definitely keen to see Mead get a lot more ball. a move to fullback is now a must. Idris is being hamstrung by being on the left side. He must be moved to the right. Maybe put Champion at right wing. I'd have Zillman at left centre and either Champion right wing or Rankin at fullback with Mead at either or depending which one got the nod. I was shattered at fulltime after We through away victory against those soulless clowns. agree that White was terrible Ridge and Lawrence must be close to a recall.

[bigjim]

I'm sorry, I've tried to be positive but please. OuR team has done everything to stuff up a win. We are in front until the final kick of the game. They don't seem to understand the concept of hang onto the ball and play percentage.
Iv'e had it, they are not getting none of my hard earned money until they start using their heads.

[DavidBouveng]

night guys, good chatting to you all.

shame about the finish to the game, but seeing our 2 tyros go at it and a team building some soul has me keen to go back again and cant wait for next week.

laters.

[SassySezza-87]

such a good game from the boys tonight they all played so well and i think they deserved to win by far :l so proud of them all such a bummer it ended that way. Its our turn next time

[TitansFan2020]

I don't know what our right wing options are, but I'm definitely keen to see Mead get a lot more ball. a move to fullback is now a must. Idris is being hamstrung by being on the left side. He must be moved to the right. Maybe put Champion at right wing. I'd have Zillman at left centre and either Champion right wing or Rankin at fullback with Mead at either or depending which one got the nod. I was shattered at fulltime after We through away victory against those soulless clowns. agree that White was terrible Ridge and Lawrence must be close to a recall.

Iknow im starteing so sound like im beating a dead horse but how about lausii Taliauli? Scored as many tries as games played this year, averaging over 100m Gained and is a 6'5 110 kg speed machine... Give him a spell? haha

[shamus]

Recognise your voice from the abuse directed his way?

Nah...I have bumped into him twice recently and haven't had the balls to say to his face what I say on here.......I guess there is a small positive to the internet after all.

I like the guy..........I just think he may pay to much attention to the media. He just needs to focus on his footy....I don't know how contracts are written but if I was drawing up a contract there would be a clause that if you don't perform (or if you put on in excess of 5 kgs) you can be sacked with no 'payout'. I am unsure how you would work out the 'don't perform' part as the argument coming from the player is that I done by best so take me to court....

[teke]

Iknow im starteing so sound like im beating a dead horse but how about lausii Taliauli? Scored as many tries as games played this year, averaging over 100m Gained and is a 6'5 110 kg speed machine... Give him a spell? haha

NYC stats doesnt mean much at NRL level but Im with you, he could be a decent option if that position becomes vacant.

[Smakked]

We would be screwed even more without Bird, he is a machine, always puts in 110%. Rankin has nothing he should be gone, Sezer is looking good so far only 2 games in. Idris needs to be put on a diet and train him 10 hours a day, i think we would have won if prince was on the field, experience in this situations is always a good thing. The team seemed a little flat tonight, forwards didn't seem to bend the line like in previous weeks, but a lose is still a lose, after tonights effort i bet Panthers and Eels are looking forward to playing us.

[Boonarga]

Rant time.
Just home from a 4hr drive and yet another surrender by the Titans.
Cartwright has to go.
Rankin, don't you worry too much son. If it wasn't for Idris you wouldn't have been in that position.

Idris should be playing QLD cup next week. That was an atrocious game. The poor read in defense letting that first try in? Players like Myles and Bailey must cry themselves to sleep at night that they have to play with you.

A hypothetical.... Mal Meninga catches that bomb instead of Idris. What happens next. I'll tell you exactly. He would have tried to power over the line and not thrown a STUPID pass! Idris has the same size as Meninga but none of the football brain. It could be coached into him but Cartwright is our coach! Catch 22.

Screw this. I'm not going to another game while he remains as coach.

[securitron_ch]

I don't want Mead moved. Why mess with one of the things that is actually working.

I thought Graham was fine, we look better in defence with him there and he looks more likely to make line breaks than Zillman.

Idris just needs to go to the right. The longer this "experiment" goes on the more it becomes clear he is all at sea on the left. Zillman at left centre for mine.

[Princey's Titanz]

Sezer looks like he can lead the team. He looks to be comfortable in first grade. I cant believe Bulldogs let go off him. Cant believe they also let go off Thurston.

Imagine Thurston and Sezer in the halves for the Bulldogs.

They would easily be premiership contenders. Lucky for us we have Sezer. He is the future of the club.

[Julius Sezer]

Sezer looked like leading the team. I think Minichiello mentioned that Sezer will take the club further

[Titanic]

Sorry Teke, I had guests last night and had to show at least some hospitality.

You know I'm a Mead fan but I just think he is a better wing than FB but I'm happy enough to agree to disagree ... will Cartwright give him a go? A blind person may as well try and guess what colour jelly bean they pick in a lucky dip.

[Rage]

Wayne Heming AAP Sun, May 06, 2012 - 1:13 PM

Veteran forward Mark Minichiello declared gutted youngster Jordan Rankin was part of the future of a Gold Coast club that would move on after Saturday night's shattering golden point loss to the Wests Tigers.

Minichiello and his teammates rallied behind a crestfallen Rankin assuring him he was not to blame for the side's demoralising 15-14 loss to the Tigers at Skilled Park after leading 14-0 until late in the first half.

The 20 year-old, whose fumble in the second minute of extra time allowed Tigers captain Robbie Farah to win the game with a field goal, cut a glum figure after the game as teammates did their best to console him.

It was the Titans' 12th home loss in their past 14 games.

Injuries to Scott Prince (biceps) and William Zillman (hamstring) forced the Titans to field Rankin and inexperienced 21 year-old Aidan Sezer in the halves against the Tigers pairing of Benji Marshall and Chris Lawrence who've both played at representative level.

"It wasn't his fault at all ... he made one mistake at a crucial time but it could have been any one of us," said Minichiello.

"We got in that position as a team and we should have won the game well before that.

"He made the mistake but we should have had a lot more pressure on Robbie Farah.

"You're in extra time and you don't give someone like him so much time to kick the ball, that was pretty lazy on our behalf."

"Jordan will be a better player for the experience and Aidan will definitely be better for playing in a game like that.

"Those two guys are probably going to be the future halves taking this club forward so it's a good character building experience for them both."

Coach John Cartwright and captain Luke Bailey refused to put the loss down to Rankin's dropped ball or the charge down of his kick which resulted in the penalty in front of the posts by Benji Marshal to tie the game up 14-all.

"I told him just to remember the things he did well," said Bailey.

"He didn't lose us the game. We didn't put enough pressure on Robbie Farah under the posts."

Cartwright also lamented the amount of time Farah had to pot the match winner after executing coach Tim Sheens's two pass tactic the pair rehe****d at training all week in case of such a scenario.

"We had three 20 year-olds out there in key positions and it didn't come down to one thing," said Cartwright.

Cartwright meanwhile backed lock Ashley Harrison to retain his Queensland Origin jumper as "the best player on the field".