Round 12: TITANS vs COWBOYS

[Coaster]

Kelly has no fear.

Great to watch

If the broncos game wa the catylist to make our season so be it.

[Coaster]

I don't want to put a wet blanket on today but now we have bye then Number 1 then Number 2 (souths,Melbourne).Falling may be easy but climbing could be the making.

No better time to play them.

Btw I don't think we need Sezer playing like the ALby.
We need Sezer playing like Prince. Controlled and deliberate

[Mexican titan]

Time for DB's post match summary.

All in all, no point bagging anyone too much today effort across the park.

Bailey was incredible today. i didnt realise he did 49 tackles till i got home, but it was the quality of his tackles. He had really great first impact on the ball carrier, often around their hip, stopping there momentum. its such a small difference, and not often picked up, but gee it made a impact.

Alby is a freak. The sooner we sort his contract the better cos at this rate its getting more and more expensive for us to wait. he is driving his price through the roof. i would go to the football on a freezing rainy day to watch this kid play footy.

Sezers general kicking was much improved, especially early he found alot of grass and some deep kicks. his Goal Kicking is amazing. 4 = 6 for us 95% of the time.

Idris was quieter than he has been lately, but not too much to worry about. he has alot of runs on the board and doesnt have to do it all him self each week.

Taka is going real well and has the creativity we have lacked in centres for a long time. not too quick though.

Gordon is playing really well of late, and looks to be getting into a good routine.

Zillman...William... TP... oh how ive wronged you. to be fair, hes played like a busted for 3 years for the most part, but today he showed some serious talent...and it came from him using his biggest strength - his running game. Using him on the short side sweeping around as a extra man is great he can use his good footwork and if they commit to him he can draw pass to idris...such a simple effective play that we can go to again and again. He was good elsewhere too and his timing of runs is now at a level that he can cause damage. exciting times.

Just watched the game again when I got home and your summary is pretty well on the money DB.
The only different view from me is Kevin Gordon. Today, pretty good with the ball in his hands but please kevvy, in defence can you please stay on your wing. He was badly out of position for one of the Cows tries and then nearly caught a few times just after that. He comes in far too much for my liking.
Zillman - terrific today. I agree with what others said about James and it seems to me that the NRL is too quick for him.

[Titanic]

I wonder if Bailey went round to Taylor's house this morning and gave him a "don't be such a sook" talking to because that was a different bloke out there today and Bailey showed him how. Also I just read Kimmorley's comments who praised Cartright's "no structure" style ... where has he been for the last half decade? I just have to write it again ... we looked so much better with out feeding it to the hit-up merchants who will be doing just that on Wednesday night.

[TITAN PETE]

Coach thrilled as Titans keep up NRL form
By By Ed Jackson
AAP
Sun 02nd June, 7:16pm


Albert Kelly flies in for one of his two tries in Gold Coast's 31-12 win over the Cowboys on Sunday
Gold Coast enter their NRL bye week full of confidence after back-to-back thrashings lifted them into the competition's top five.

The Titans will enjoy a week's rest after backing up their 42-4 flogging of Parramatta last week with a 31-12 hiding of an undermanned North Queensland outfit at Skilled Park on Sunday.

Playing a Cowboys outfit shorn of six first-team regulars, the Titans made light of their own State of Origin-enforced absences to run out five-tries-to-three victors against a struggling opposition.

After an ill-disciplined derby loss to Brisbane in round 10, coach John Cartwright said he couldn't fault his team's response to that 32-6 defeat, especially after being on the receiving end of 15-8 penalty count in the Cowboys favour on Sunday.

"It was a very emotional week that week and a bit of it spilled over into the game and, yeah, we didn't respond that well," Cartwright said of the Broncos loss.

"The sign of a good side is how you come out of it. I think we had 17 penalties against us today, which must be some sort of record and there was nothing for back-chatting - they just kept turning up to do their job."

With co-captains Nate Myles and Greg Bird on Origin duty, as well as key back-rower Ashley Harrison, it was stand-in skipper William Zillman and forwards Dave Taylor and Luke Bailey who stood up to the plate for the Titans on Sunday.

Zillman was simply outstanding at fullback, scoring two tries, setting up another and recording a game-high four line breaks.

Veteran Bailey ploughed through 75 minutes while Taylor overcame a calf injury concern to put in what Cartwright described as his best performance for the Titans.

It was a different story for the out-of-form Cowboys, who have lost four straight and desperately missed representative stars Johnathan Thurston, Matt Scott, James Tamou and Brent Tate as well as injured duo Matt Bowen and Gavin Cooper.

Under pressure coach Neil Henry said it was his team's poor start, where they messed up their first three clearing kicks and were trailing 12-0 inside 10 minutes, that had sealed their fate.

"Overall, it's a poor performance from our squad," Henry said.

"We've got enough experience out there, even with our young guys, to be better than that.

"It's a disappointing day for the boys and the club regardless of who's out."

The Titans will make the most of the bye to allow centre Brad Takairangi and forward Ryan James to recover from head knocks while Jamie Dowling will also have an ankle injury assessed and Mark Minichiello is on report for a late high tackle.

The Cowboys host Canterbury next Saturday.

[TITAN PETE]

GOLD COAST 31 bt NORTH QUEENSLAND 12 at Skilled Park.
HE might be miles away from a Queensland recall, but the Coaltrain moved one station closer to his final destination yesterday as Dave Taylor put the team above himself.

The Gold Coast's star recruit produced his finest performance in Titans colours, playing through a calf problem that requires scans today to claim man of the match honours in a 31-12 defeat of North Queensland.

Taylor had been hammered since he was stood down by the club seven weeks ago, accused of being selfish, lazy and uncommitted to the team ethos.

The man many thought could turn into an Origin superstar had fallen so far out of favour that Maroons coach Mal Meninga named eight backrowers in his Game One squad ahead of Taylor.

But recalled into the Titans team just an hour before kick-off, Taylor overcame the mental hurdle of a niggling calf issue to do all the little things expected of him.

It wasn't flashy by Taylor, some would even suggest fullback William Zillman, prop Luke Bailey or halfback Albert Kelly were more deserving of the man of the match, but he did what coach John Cartwright wanted to see which was "fall into line''.

"I don't know (if it was my best game for the club), I was just happy to go out there and do my job for the side,'' Taylor said.


Dave Taylor looks to pass against the Cowboys.

"Everyone has their opinion. I can't judge the way people talk about me.

"There is probably five people I need to listen to and they all work at the Titans. I just make sure that I listen to them guys, take the right advice and try to move on. I feel like I've done that.''

The win moved the Titans (7-5) into fifth on the NRL table and with a bye next week they have put themselves in a solid position to make a finals charge.

"Where we are at the moment just makes me more confident,'' Cartwright said.

"You never play the perfect game but it's how you respond to some errors and penalties against you."

Taylor has not given up hope of a Maroons recall this year, but it would take an injury or form crisis among Meninga's current options for him to play for Queensland this series.


Titans presserGold Coast Titans coach John Cartwright says 'it is the sign of a good side when you don't play so well and still win comfortably'.(7:42 / 46.0MB)
"You always want to play the best game in the world and that is definitely State of Origin,'' Taylor said.

"I just need to go back and make sure I perform well every week, try to do everything I can to keep in the picture and yeah just try and overcome this injury as my first priority.''

Cartwright said: "Dave is falling into line. Today was probably his best performance for the club. He was pretty much error free, he was a handful every time he touched the ball and defensively he kept working hard.''

The Titans and Cowboys may have been missing seven Origin stars yesterday, but they still produced a first-class game full of highlights.

Stand-in skipper Zillman and halfback Kelly both finished with two tries in a game Ryan James and Brad Takairangi failed to finish due to concussion.

GOLD COAST 31 (A Kelly 2 W Zillman 2 M Minichiello tries A Sezer 5 goals A Sezer field goal) bt NORTH QUEENSLAND 12 (A Graham E Lowe A Winterstein tries) at Skilled Park. Referee: Gerard Sutton, Gavin Reynolds.

[TITAN FAN]

Great to see all putting there hand up
This is how they played in first few rounds of the season

[DavidBouveng]

I've given credit to zilly... Now carty.

Letting the team play its natural game is great, but also giving Dowling and Gray a run, along with Irwin, Don and Ioane who have played a couple now, is a sign he has finally decided to let our next wave of talent come through.

[Titanic]

I've given credit to zilly... Now carty.

Letting the team play its natural game is great, but also giving Dowling and Gray a run, along with Irwin, Don and Ioane who have played a couple now, is a sign he has finally decided to let our next wave of talent come through.

And don't forget structure, you can't mention the coach without mentioning structure ... we have been playing a very different type of football the last two weeks.

[karnage]

Another good win. We have turned a corner - no doubt. Souths are working up to a loss, playing some pretty bad footy and still winning and we get the Storm without their spine. We should take some really good momentum out of the bye.

Someone said Zillman's best ever game. It would be close but if his effort against the Warriors in a home semi was his best for mine. This Cowboys game is the benchmark that he needs to meet every week from here on out.

[Mr Stupid]

I was hoping somebody else would have brought this up as I don't want to rain on the parade but where was the crowd?

[titanfan1980]

I wonder if Bailey went round to Taylor's house this morning and gave him a "don't be such a sook" talking to because that was a different bloke out there today and Bailey showed him how. Also I just read Kimmorley's comments who praised Cartright's "no structure" style ... where has he been for the last half decade? I just have to write it again ... we looked so much better with out feeding it to the hit-up merchants who will be doing just that on Wednesday night.

Interesting you say this, cause I for one and don't hate on me agree that Nate myles literally doesn't dent the line and and plays the ball slow.. Something similar to cronulla are 100% this year without gallen because he just try's to do to much work. Not saying at all I don't want him.. I just think we waste him in the front row

[Hail Sezer]

Few of the lads jumped up the NRL stats ladders after yesterdays game.

Currently:

Aidan Sezer is 2nd for points scored with 74 (Behind A. Reynolds)
Alby is 4th equal for tries, 3rd for try assists, 5th for tackles, 5th for lb assists
Jamal is 5th for try assists, 1st for lb assists, 5th or hitups
Zillman is 1st for line breaks with 13

[teke]

Just watched the game again when I got home and your summary is pretty well on the money DB.
The only different view from me is Kevin Gordon. Today, pretty good with the ball in his hands but please kevvy, in defence can you please stay on your wing. He was badly out of position for one of the Cows tries and then nearly caught a few times just after that. He comes in far too much for my liking.
Zillman - terrific today. I agree with what others said about James and it seems to me that the NRL is too quick for him.

both mead/don and Kevin are always way inside off their men. The titans stack the middle with men and always have trouble with numbers on the edge. Some teams have exploited this very well against us this yr

[TITAN PETE]

I was hoping somebody else would have brought this up as I don't want to rain on the parade but where was the crowd?

That word would be the main reason & the fact it was a very weak Cows side