Round 13: Gold Coast Titans vs North Queensland Cowboys

[Supergoose]

Im still buzzing and it was a great win and awesome performance. What gets me is Idris still looks like a duck out of water on the left side of the field. He should've taken on Tate at one stage but threw an early ball to a marked KG. he fends exclusively with his left hand so if we manage to get him outside his opposite when on the left he can't use his right to hold him off and doesn't even look for the contact. After that performance not sure how we can justify making the change but I'd love to see if Champion could make a go of the left instead. He seems a little more adaptable. Unless we can get Jamal fending with his right and carrying with his left we're going to be impotent on the left hand side unless Bird does something. Bird turning Jamal back inside is the only way it will work currently.

[patskE]

just watched the game. wow cant really fault anyone...
love how our wingers are allowed to roam infield. mead was my MOTM
anyone see that bullet left to right pass from zillman at dummy? tbh the best left to right pass i have ever seen, went 30m within half a sec lol.
no point also having idris hitting the ball up 2m away from the line under the post, u need to get him out wider to do that so there is less defense.

also white is winning my respect... haven't really ever rated him.
he has less errors in him n he doesn't really force the offload, only when its on... really put his hand up when bailey was injured.

i still wanna see some kick of scrums or some chips for a flying Gordon or mead... no one will catch em...

[Chaserz]

WOW


A great all round team performance. Every single Titans player put their hand up. I'm almost in shock at how well they play. It was such a joy to watch.

My thoughts exactly! Couldn't watch it live since I was at work at the office (curse the 9 hours time difference!), but I just used some headphones and listened via the live radio instead and couldn't hold my enthusiasm - I was getting all happy with each try and I am thrilled to see the spark is back. Looking forward to the videos on the internet!

[C-Whiz]

A great all round team performance. Every single Titans player put their hand up. I'm almost in shock at how well they play. It was such a joy to watch.

I enjoyed that SO much tonight.
A very, very enjoyable night at the footy. WHAT A CHANGE!!

Brilliant performance by every player on the park including Chalky
That was the Titans best performance since 2010 & was easily the best defensive effort from. Any NRL team in the competition this season .

Easily the best 80 minute performance that I can remember, ever. We never switched off, and it was awesome from start to finish.

As others have said, it was an absolute joy to watch last night. There was hardly any cringe-worthy moments, and (almost) everybody played out of their skins.

Oh.....Did anyone notice Idris and Champion swap after we scored our last try? if they were going to experiment wouldn't you do it with say....10 minutes to go?

It needs to be said, because it is easy to overlook on the back of such an outstanding team performance, that Idris was still just making up numbers out there. I honestly don't want to be critical on the back of the greatest ever Titans performance, but he was a passenger. I'll leave it at that, because it was all-round the most positive performance I can remember.

Mini is back to career best, and like Pete said, even Chalky played like a bench NRL player. I was worried on his early touches, but he seemed to just get better as he lifted with the team. I think this was the thing last night, they all seemed to feed off each others enthusiasm and they found new heights as a team. It was an amazing effort, and one that has reminded us all of just how potent our playing roster really is, when they play to their known ability.

Keep it up Titans!
Last night you went from a team of champions to a CHAMPION TEAM!!

[TITAN PETE]

Titans score gutsy Win

Wayne Heming AAP Fri, Jun 01, 2012 - 11:41 PM


Gold Coast continued their mid-season surge with an eye-catching 28-12 NRL win over North Queensland at Skilled Park on Friday night to finally break their home hoodoo.

Ridiculed as 150-1 premiership outsiders after a horror start to 2012, the Titans' disposal of a quality Cowboys outfit would have had bookmakers running for cover after their third straight and most impressive win.

On a day when reports surfaced the financially embattled club may yet be able to pay some of their creditors, the Titans posted their first home win since round 24 last year to end a six-game home losing streak in front of a crowd of 12,092.

It was just their second win in their past 14 games at Skilled Park but one which could prove a turning point in their season.

It didn't look to be the Titans' night after young five-eighth Aidan Sezer allowed Johnathan Thurston's kick-off to bounce in goal and go dead.

In an amazing opening 10 minutes, the Titans were forced to make four goal line drop-outs in a row and 50 tackles to just one by the Cowboys.

Cowboys representative props Matt Scott and James Tamou smashed the Titans up the middle early with a glut of possession but the Titans back-row tackled themselves to a standstill to stop every raid until the tide turned late in the half.

Tries to winger Kevin Gordon in the 18th minute and NSW State of Origin representative Greg Bird in the 35th minute were converted by halfback Scott Prince to give the Titans a most unlikely 12-0 halftime lead.

Queensland lock Ashley Harrison showed the hands of an Australian slips fieldsman to scoop up a Matt Srama grubber in the 56th minute and cross for a brilliant try.

When centre Beau Champion scored five minutes later for the first of his double, the Titans had shot out to a 22-0 lead.

The Cowboys only managed to get on the scoreboard in the 70th minute when late inclusion Cory Paterson scored before Jason Taumalolo crossed in the final minute of the match.

The high-paced clash claimed Titans prop Luke Bailey, who was taken to hospital with a `popped rib' and Cowboys hooker James Segeyaro, diagnosed with a high grade syndesmosis (ankle injury).

Titans coach John Cartwright used the win to take a shot at critics who, just a month ago, had written off his team.

"People were quick to say our season was over," said Cartwright.

"But the playing group didn't believe that and they've stayed tough through some dark times."

Cartwright said Bird was playing the best football of his career and he also praised the rapid progress of Sezer.

Cowboys coach Neil Henry copped the club's second straight loss on the chin, refusing to offer up any excuses.

"Anyone who watched that game could see we were comprehensively outplayed," he said,

"We were out-defended by a better side on the night, they haven't got any excuses."

Cartwright meanwhile confirmed Bailey had gone to hospital as a precaution while Henry was uncertain how serious Segeyaro's ankle injury was.

[GoldCoastTitans100]

As many of us said - it was because he had no other play makers in the side. Once Sezer got there and found his feet, Prince is a new man.
Meanwhile I might head over to the thread about sacking Cartwright and see what people are saying now.

I would still sack Cartwright any day of the week.

[Titanic]

I would still sack Cartwright any day of the week.

+1 ... how anybody can credit that win, with a completely un-Cartwright structure, to the coach amazes me but that does not take away from the extraordinary effort from the players.

I really thought that Ridge brought his potential to the fore and Prince proved once again that head to head he owns Thurston.

Does anyone think that Gordon has lost his zip? He is strong and reliable in defence, unless left stranded by the whale inside of him, but he got into space twice last night and the first time he couldn't catch up to the play and the second time he had no extra gear.

In saying that, I must admit to liking our left-side attack. Bird is a machine and with Idris distracting the defence that's a nice little combo, imho. If you add to that Champion running on to some quality ball then that's delicious. Mead as a quality finisher provides the distraction there but he'll have to accept that he has competition in the try-scoring department.

Minichiello hasn't tried to off-load in traffic for a month since they moved him to the right (Cartwright applause) and his game has gone up a level.

My favourite play was when Cooper chased a bomb, was allowed to catch it (seven feet tall always beats six feet) and then got smashed ...

[karnage]

I love Ridge. He needs to be in our 17 every week.

[Chaos]

The difference between the Titans last night and the Titans at the start of the year is the confidence in Scott Prince.
He took the line on last night and didn't hesitate with his options.
I admit it was helped by defenders like Thompson who back away on his own defensive line.

The forwards again did the job they have done in the past 5 years, except Birds confidence has him playing the ball a lot quicker.

Another player playing with confidence is Zillman...he and the two wingers really start our go forward, making it easier for our forwards to keep the role going. I'm sure some Titan fans will start changing there opinion on Zillman.

I hope you guys at the game enjoyed yourselves because I was stuck with Ray Hadley and Fatty talking absolute crap.

BTW. if I hear Wally Lewis mention the phrase "dictate terms to the opposition" again, I'll personally remove the crown from his head!

[TITAN PETE]

I love Ridge. He needs to be in our 17 every week.

Yes Yes Yes
Ridgey will be another Menzies/Hindmarsh type player that will always put in 100%

[Chaos]

Does anyone think that Gordon has lost his zip? He is strong and reliable in defence, unless left stranded by the whale inside of him, but he got into space twice last night and the first time he couldn't catch up to the play and the second time he had no extra gear.

There's no doubt Gordon hasn't the speed he had before his injury but he's still a good winger and not slow.
You know how fast he was and whether or not he gets back to his previous pace...at least you know his going to get quicker.

[Rage]

What an amazing effort! Can we all agree for once that the Titans won that game instead of the opposition losing.

I honestly can't fault any of them, there were at least 5 or 6 man of the match contenders for me. It's been a long time since we've seen both attack and defence so great and I'm hoping this is what we can come to expect for the rest of the season.

[Princey's Titanz]

Always knew Prince had it in him. I hope the haters are gone now. Truly inspirational effort from the boys. Out of nowhere they certainly got there confidence back and it seems like the team knows what they are doing.

The confidence has certainly come from the couple of wins in a short period of time. A win against the Cowboys means that we have what it takes to make the top 8. I am truly happy for the boys and i hope we can continue this. We really looked like a quality footy team last night.

Amazing defensive effort in the first 9 mins of the game.

[Rage]

Wayne Heming AAP Sat, Jun 02, 2012 - 11:52 AM

Every good team has one and Gold Coast coach John Cartwright believes his NRL side is building a spine that will make them tough to beat at the back end of the season.

The emergence of impressive young five-eighth Aidan Sezer stood out for the Titans in their 28-12 upset of North Queensland at Skilled Park on Friday night with Cartwright acknowledging the importance of the Canterbury cast-off to his side's future.

In the presence of five-eighth greatness of Wally Lewis and Darren Lockyer who were commentating on the clash, Sezer stepped up against a world class act in Johnathan Thurston and did himself proud.

The time he created with the ball would have impressed Lewis, while his passing and kicking display drew praise from Lockyer.

But it was Cartwright who heaped the accolades on 21 year-old after he combined beautifully with halfback Scott Prince and hooker Matt Srama against the Cowboy's dangerous spine of Ray Thompson, Thurston and Matt Bowen.

Sezer's game stats didn't reflect the role he played in the win after being smashed by Cowboys forward Cory Paterson at one stage.

"He's a tough kid. Him and Scott (Prince) and Matty (Srama) are starting to do things together with just a nod of the head," said Cartwright.

"Tonight was probably as crisp as they've been with the ball and I thought we really tested the defence of a side I rate very highly."

Cartwright said also that skipper Scott Prince had put the "fun" back in his game.

"He looks like he's really enjoying himself and that's the key, enjoying yourself at training, enjoying yourself with the group and winning games," said Cartwright.

"Our halves hooker and fullback have been really hard to handle the last three weeks."

Prince, who was doing it tough early in the season, always knew things would turn around.

"There were some dark days, but we've moved on now," he said

"It builds character and we appreciate the good times.

"We (team) have got the confidence and self belief back but we've worked very hard for it."

Cartwright described the victory as one of his side's most courageous with the Titans surviving an amazing opening 10 minute onslaught and losing forward leader Luke Bailey to a rib injury.

A Titans official said the club was awaiting a medical update on Bailey who is in doubt for next weekend's away clash with Cronulla

Meanwhile the Cowboys will have an ankle injury which forced hooker James Segeyaro from the field investigated once they arrive back in Townsville on Saturday.

[Ryan]

I still don't think Prince played any better (or different) than he has been for the last 2 months. Even statistically there hasn't been any difference in his games. The Prince haters are still here, they're just trying to swallow their mouthful of pie...

Two points that I think are behind the turn around:

1. Sezer and Zillman presenting themselves to the opposition as attackers requiring attention, so the opposition defense has not been able to focus purely on shutting down Prince.

2. The attitude of the other 14 players taking the field. Last night, every single player was putting their hand up in defense and attack! The first 10 minutes of the match was unbelievable, there were numbers communicating and sliding perfectly in defense shutting down every play, set after set.
And in attack, there were numbers running in support and in position. Our backline movement was slick enough to run around the Cowboys, and strong enough to run through them several times over.

For the majority of possession they were threatening to score or break through, and for the majority of defense they were shutting down every play.

Confidence is one thing, there was no shortage of that and is no doubt building, but I put last nights efforts down to ATTITUDE for the majority.

I'd like to know the latest developments off field, surely something has progressed that has positively affected the boys??