Round 9: Gold Coast Titans vs Wests Tigers

[Rage]

To top it all off channel 7 has said that Sezar & Zillman are both in doubt after neither being able to complete today's training session...I don't trust the station but time will tell

Henderson for 5/8th
Rankin in 7

[Toowoomba Tiger]

G'day guys, sorry to sneak into your camp but I'm a Tigers fan from Toowoomba and looking to bring the family to the coast for the game.

Can anyone suggest the best bays for Tigers fans (be nice ).
Also is there somewhere nearby reasonably priced to stay overnight.
Is the free bus from Firth park the best way to go?

Thanks and good luck.

[DIEHARD]

G'day guys, sorry to sneak into your camp but I'm a Tigers fan from Toowoomba and looking to bring the family to the coast for the game.

Can anyone suggest the best bays for Tigers fans (be nice ).
Also is there somewhere nearby reasonably priced to stay overnight.
Is the free bus from Firth park the best way to go?

Thanks and good luck.

GET HIM! :boo:

click here to buy tickets

Section 16 would be best, the Away Team Bay. Lots of Tigers fans will be there. Or if you want better seats. Titanium towards the 50min line.

[DIEHARD]

Poor crowds tipped for Coast clash

THE stage is set for an almighty attendance flop on Saturday when the Gold Coast's Titans and Suns matches clash for the first time this year.

The Titans host Wests Tigers at Skilled Park with a 7.30pm kick-off while the Suns have a twilight fixture against Fremantle.

The Tigers have been the third-best drawing crowd for the Titans in their four-year history at Skilled Park, coming in behind Brisbane and St George-Illawarra. But the Titans are expecting a crowd of about 13,000, about 4000 fewer than when the sides met last year and half of what the record (26,103) crowd is for the fixture.

The Suns are also expecting a lean attendance at Metricon Stadium against the Dockers, who are traditionally one of the poorer drawing teams.

The Suns are also without star captain Gary Ablett, with his absence sure to affect crowd figures.

The Suns "won" both clashes last year when playing at the same time as their NRL rivals but Titans operations manager Ian Buchanan said there were two different markets.

"I think we're talking about two different markets," he said.

"I'm sure there's a small percentage that cross over but at the end of the day, if you're a rugby league fan you're a rugby league fan.

"I don't know that there's too much of a crossover."

The Titans' home crowds have been poor this year with clashes against the Storm, Raiders and Roosters occupying three of the club's four worst crowds.

The Titans have won just one of their past 12 matches at Skilled Park and Buchanan said the team's poor form over the past 18 months was causing the paltry crowds.

"We're not expecting anything out of the box. The crowds at the moment would point to around about the 13,000 mark.

"That's consistent with how we're travelling this year.

"It's a combination of the sign of the times and as Carty (coach John Cartwright) said we've got to give them a reason to come."

Suns chief executive Travis Auld said he was not worried about who would attract the better crowd.

"The only competition we are worried about on Saturday will be Fremantle," Auld said.

"We think it will be one of our lower drawing crowds given there are not many Dockers fans on the Coast. (So) we think we'll get around 10,000."

Neither club executive thought public transport would be a problem.

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

[DIEHARD]

Titans in tatters over Sezer, Zillman doubts

THE Titans' halves crisis has copped another blow, with stand-in pairing Aidan Sezer and Will Zillman in doubt for Saturday's Skilled Park showdown against Wests Tigers.

Sezer (buttocks) and Zillman (hamstring) left the Titans' training session early yesterday before ball-work started and are in a race against the clock to be fit.

The duo is yet to play together and have been entrusted with filling the void of injured captain and halfback Scott Prince (biceps).

While neither injury is serious, they will be monitored closely ahead of tomorrow's final training run.

Titans football manager Scott Clark said a decision would be made on the pair's fitness tomorrow.

Five-eighth Sezer has just two NRL matches next to his name and will be thrust into the No.7 for the Tigers match, with Zillman to slot in at pivot for the first time this season.

Yesterday's session was a major opportunity for the two to work on their combination but youngster Jordan Rankin and in-form back-rower Greg Bird were instead shifted into the halves.

Rankin is slated to play five-eighth for Burleigh Bears in the Intrust Super Cup this weekend and coach John Cartwright was hesitant to name Bird in the halves as he has been one of the club's best forwards.

Zillman, who is battling a chronic back problem, tweaked his hamstring while completing a sprinting drill early in the session while Sezer was in the rehabilitation group with muscle tightness. Both left the session with the club's physiotherapist.

The lack of training time is a problem for the Titans, who will roll out their fourth different play-making combination in nine rounds this year.

The club is also looking to break a four-match losing streak at home this year and has won just one of its past 12 matches at Skilled Park.

Zillman trained at pivot for much of the pre-season before a bulging disc in his back forced him to miss two of Gold Coast's three trials, paving the way for Rankin to get first shot at the No. 6.

Rankin made way for Sezer a fortnight ago, with the debutant having a memorable debut in the Titans' shock win against Manly at Brookvale Oval.

He was quieter last weekend but with the Titans to field a full-strength forward pack on Saturday, the halves should have ample opportunities to create points.

Fringe playmaker Beau Henry trained with the squad yesterday but he is still recovering from a broken wrist and he has not been named for Tweed Heads this weekend.

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

[karnage]

Urgh......

[TITAN PETE]

Gold Coast Titans v Wests Tigers
Skilled Park
Saturday 7.30pm

It might not go down as the game of the round, but there’s plenty for both the Titans and Wests Tigers to play for in their Saturday night clash on the Gold Coast.

Both teams will be desperate to claim the victory and two competition points as both line-ups are currently struggling and positioned well outside the top eight.

The Titans, after just two wins this season, are second last on the table. In recent weeks their form has, as you’d expect, been inconsistent – they beat Manly away in Round 7, but backed up that performance with a 20-point loss to the Broncos last week.

The Tigers, meanwhile, have also had a disappointing start to 2012. With many experts having them the competition favourites entering the season, Tim Sheens and his players wouldn’t be happy with their 3-5 start to the year which has them in 11th position. The past fortnight, though, they’ve stayed in the winners’ circle – they smashed the Panthers 30-0 at Penrith in Round 7 before jumping out to a huge lead against the Eels and eventually winning a thriller 31-30.

The Titans have been weakened following the arm injury to captain and halfback Scott Prince. Scans have confirmed Prince has suffered a small tear to the brachialis muscle in his elbow joint. Titans coach John Cartwright has named former Sydney Roosters and Canberra backline utility Phil Graham at fullback in a reshuffled line-up. The loss of Prince for this weekend sees William Zillman shift to five-eighth and 20-year-old playmaker Aidan Sezer move to halfback, with Graham promoted to fullback in his first game for the Titans since joining the club in the off-season. Forward Ashley Harrison also returns to the Titans’ line-up after a one-match suspension.

For the Tigers, interchange forward Matt Groat has been replaced by Junior Moors. Groat suffered a knee injury in the win over Parramatta Stadium last Sunday. He joins a host of Tigers forwards on the sidelines, including Chris Heighington and Gareth Ellis.

Watch Out Titans: The Tigers are starting to purr – and their attack is at the fore. In the past two weeks Wests Tigers have scored 30 points or more, a sign they might be finally clicking into gear. Combine that recent form with the fact the Titans have the worst kicks-defused rate in the competition (just 57 per cent) and there’s a likelihood the Tigers will be scoring plenty of points in this one. The Gold Coast defence had best be ready.

Danger Sign: Livewire five-eighth Benji Marshall is the key to the Wests Tigers’ attack. In the past two weeks he’s orchestrated six tries, and has eight line-break assists to his name for 2012. The Titans will need to wrap up Marshall each time he gets the ball… and keep a close eye on his ball-runners, too. If the Gold Coast put Benji on lockdown, their chances of winning increase significantly.

Watch Out Wests Tigers: The Titans have an air of unpredictability about them now, following the loss of injured halfback Prince. The No.7 has played all of the Gold Coast’s matches this season… and as always has been their attacking linchpin. How will the Titans direct their attack without Princey? Who will be the Gold Coast’s go-to man in the opposition’s 20-metre zone? Time will tell, and there’ll need to be some guesswork from the Tigers defenders. That could well work in the Titans’ favour.

Danger Sign: The Titans, without their key playmaking star and most experienced player, enter this match as underdogs. But, as recent history shows us, that status won’t worry John Cartwright and his players. In Round 1 they upset the Cowboys in Townsville, and two weeks ago they defeated the Sea Eagles at Brookvale. The Titans will be quite happy if the Tigers are talked up in the lead-up to this clash.

Phil Graham v Tim Moltzen: They mightn’t embroil themselves in the kicking duels of days gone by but the modern-day No.1s still have a big bearing on match results, and they will in this clash. Journeyman utility back Phil Graham returns to the NRL for the Titans, named to make his first NRL appearance for the Gold Coast after stints with the Roosters and Canberra. Moltzen, the Tigers’ No.1, mightn’t have the experience of 145-gamer Graham, but he is a talent in his own right. Last season Moltzen played all 26 games for his team – scoring eight tries and making 12 line-breaks in the process.

Where It Will Be Won: Ball-handling and completed sets. Last start against the Broncos, the Titans capitulated in the first half, making seven errors and completing just 63 per cent of their sets to gift the Broncos a 20-0 lead at the break. In the second half their completion rate improved – jumping to 74 per cent – but by then it was too late. Exactly the opposite can be said of the Tigers’ last-start effort against the Eels. In the first half Tim Sheens’ men performed to plan, leading at the break 19-0 following a half that featuring just four errors and an 87 per cent completion rate. In the second half, as the Eels came surging back from 31-0 down to see a final scoreline of 31-30, the Tigers were scrappy, conceding eight errors and completing just 63 per cent of their sets. “Hold onto the ball, complete the sets, then look to score,” will be the message from both coaches. Whichever team does it better will win.

The History: Played 9, Gold Coast 5, Wests Tigers 4. The Titans enjoy playing the Tigers… especially on the Coast. At Skilled Park the Tigers have won just once, losing three times.

Last Time They Met: It was a Benji Marshall masterclass in Round 25, 2011, when the star five-eighth led the Tigers to a 39-10 win against the Titans. Marshall produced a five-star performance against the Gold Coast at Campbelltown, scoring a try and having a hand in four others just days after being cleared of an assault charge.

Missed tackles cruelled the visitors’ chances – they missed a whopping 52 attempts – and they also struggled with their completions, registering 63 per cent to the Tigers’ 75 per cent.

The Tigers ran their opposition ragged, registering a season-high 11 line-breaks and dominating territory 1597 metres to 1087 metres. Marshall made 187 metres by himself, as well as four line-breaks, while young prop Aaron Woods pounded out 166 metres.

For the Gold Coast, Preston Campbell tried hard (10 tackle-breaks) while Greg Bird added 108 metres with 40 tackles.

Match Officials: Referees – Gerard Sutton & Alan Shortall; Sideline Officials – Adam Reid and Peter Gough; Video Referee – Paul Mellor.

The Way We See It: The Titans have nothing to lose in this game – all the pressure is on the Wests Tigers who, with a victory, could make it three in a row. Benji Marshall’s Tigers should be too strong here… even if Skilled Park isn’t their favourite ‘away’ ground. Scott Prince’s injury is a big blow to the home side. Wests Tigers by 12.

[securitron_ch]

G'day guys, sorry to sneak into your camp but I'm a Tigers fan from Toowoomba and looking to bring the family to the coast for the game.

Can anyone suggest the best bays for Tigers fans (be nice ).
Also is there somewhere nearby reasonably priced to stay overnight.
Is the free bus from Firth park the best way to go?

Thanks and good luck.

Mort Bay

But in all seriousness sounds like they need all the fans of any type they can get to attend.

[Titanic]

I'm surprised Henderson isn't afflicted with the same injury as Sezer.

[matti]

And here i was thinking that Zilly was the "fittest" person in the team.....

[Princey's Titanz]

wtf. And i thought Prince's injury was bad. Now our whole spine is gone. Bird in the halves isnt going to create any spark. Its basically all down to Rankin and Srama to get the job done.

[decentrix]

Rest assured all titans fans!
Even if sezer and zillman are both injured, carty can just put in Henderson and O'Dwyer

[Titanic]

Rest assured all titans fans!
Even if sezer and zillman are both injured, carty can just put in Henderson and O'Dwyer

You forgot Michaels

[GoldCoastTitans100]

I hope Sezer is fit, we need him and Rankin we don't have anyone who can get the job done apart from them.

[Steelers]

G'day guys, sorry to sneak into your camp but I'm a Tigers fan from Toowoomba and looking to bring the family to the coast for the game.

Can anyone suggest the best bays for Tigers fans (be nice ).
Also is there somewhere nearby reasonably priced to stay overnight.
Is the free bus from Firth park the best way to go?

Thanks and good luck.

Section 16 is the Away Supporters Bay so should be full of Bunji fans.
Try wotif.com for accommodation or ask one of the locals on here.
I've found when driving that parking at Mudgeeraba is the only option usless you park at Nerang station and catch the train to Robina.