Round 21: Gold Coast Titans vs Wests Tigers

[titanfan1980]

He didn't give one away today I don't think? Maybe the week in q cup helped him.

[Geeman]

Loving the new positive Titanic
Good effort by the boys today, good to see Taylor getting himself into the game more, and Harro proved me wrong in the best possible way
Hoping this is the start of a good run, if not to make the top 8 (still a very long shot imo) at least to put some respect back in the jersey after the last month.

[lonegull]

great enthusiasn shown today, seemed they were all out to play as a team, my thoughts are whatever they put in the drink bottle of ryan james make sure its in there every week, mead was good at fullback and will only get better, the forwards worked great as a unit today.
although the tigers were not much got to give credit where due great game titans

[Julius Sezer]

we are lucky that Tigers are a crap team

[Mexican titan]

Credit where it is due, I have been critical of the effort in the last couple of matches, could not say the same today

Me too but I have got to say we didn't have a bad player today. I have really bagged Ryan James on here pretty well all season but today he was among our best. Did anyone notice the circle the players formed after the match and spoke among themselves for a few minutes. Wonder what that was about.

[Supergoose]

Trying not to get too carried away, but what a great performance today from our undermanned team. Sezer was excellent in the 7 and Harrison showed, he should be our backrower on the right edge with Bird in the middle and Taylor on the left. The only changes going forward I'd make would be Zillman to left centre for Dowling who has been decent and Kelly back into the halves for O'Dwyer. Ryan James showed all the doubters today of his potential - now he just needs that consistency. We should've put on 50 today, but a win next Monday night against the Dogs will put our season back on track and our home game against the Warriors will actually mean a lot.

Loved that we bombed to our big outside backs who were dominant today and that we chased until the end to not allow the Tigers in when they made a break.

[Titanic]

Loving the new positive Titanic

Thanks but a leopard can't change its spots ... this was the game we couldn't lose ... we were fragile in a lot of areas today ... our right side defence was exposed umpteen times but passes went to the touchy in error ... and let's not forget that at the moment James is 1 good game out of the last 16 he's played which was great to see today ... I am not anti him at all and hope that he can get his game sorted out every week but those calling him our saviour are very premature.

The biggest positive for me was that we were prepared to play rugby league as a team.

[Boonarga]

Can we get all the newspapers to rubbish our big forwards before each game? Those guys (Taylor and James) should have been playing like that all year.

The team really dug in today. Good job.

[shamus]

I expected a minutes silence for Graham Murray? Did someone forget or was it never on the table?

[Griff0]

Great Result! Mead, Bird, and James Really stood up for this one. DT played really well apart from a few brain explosions.

For me the highlight of the game was sezer! a real confidence builder for him and if he can lead the team for the next few weeks Kelly will be very dangerous when he comes back

[Titanic]

Cartwright calls in the Penrith connection in the form of Gus Gould to bolster his sliding ratings:

For Gold Coast, this match represented the win they just had to have. Four losses in a row over the past month had them heading in the wrong direction on the ladder. They were fast losing contact with the top eight. They were at home against Wests Tigers, a team that appears to have lost all resolve and motivation.
Gee, if they didn't win this one; well … actually, they couldn't even allow themselves to contemplate such a result. They just had to win. I don't think losing ever entered their heads. And win they did.

It wasn't perfect; and it certainly wasn't pretty. But the final scoreline of 36-6 was a fair reflection of their commitment and desire compared to their dispirited opponents.

Any time you can keep a Wests Tigers team to one try in 80 minutes of football, and that lone try comes from a kick, you know you have done a great day's work.

Yes, the Titans won this match with their attitude in defence. I say ''attitude'' because not all their defensive execution was clinical. They looked very ragged at times and the Tigers did threaten to score on a number of occasions throughout the afternoon. However, it was the desperation and never-give-up nature of their defence that most impressed. The Titans were breached and often outnumbered, but they found a way to scramble back and save the try with last ditch heroics.
This attitude was best demonstrated in the final minute of play. Leading by 30 points and attacking the Tigers' line, a wayward pass was intercepted by Tigers centre Chris Lawrence and he headed off in the opposite direction for a try. You could probably excuse the Titans for not chasing given the result was already in their hands.
However, the Titans chased. Not just one defender either. Every man who could still draw breath headed off in pursuit. They caught him and maintained their winning margin.

It was brilliant stuff. It's moments like this that give you a window into the soul of these Gold Coast players. They are missing key players and were down on confidence entering the contest. But they grit their teeth and got the job done. A coach can be proud of such resolve.

It shows the team is still training hard during the week and that they care about their results. They are tackling the challenge head-on.

That's the only way to get yourself out of a tough situation. You have to get tough with it. Gold Coast did this yesterday. Valuing the basics of run hard, tackle hard and never give up on a play, is a proven formula for the struggling team.

Mind you, there were some nice passages of attacking football from the home side as well. Experienced lock forward Greg Bird showed his skills in laying on a neat try for fullback David Mead with a beautifully timed short pass. The lesson immediately rubbed off on Bird's young teammate Aidan Sezer who mirrored the play on the other side of the field to give big centre Brad Takairangi a free run to the in-goal. I've always said that kids learn more off the senior players than they do from their coaches. This was a perfect example. Sezer is a player of the future. Bird will help him get there.

The Tigers? Well, they have been one of my favourite teams over the past decade. I especially love watching them play on a sunny Sunday afternoon when the dry conditions allow them the chance to express themselves with the football.

There were glimpses of talent on display yesterday as they sent the ball spiralling across the field from side to side. However, it wasn't convincing. The younger players in this team are not getting the same lessons in toughness and discipline from their senior players the young Titans players are enjoying.

No, I'm sad to say, this was a dismal performance. Even allowing for the injury toll and the youth of the team, I didn't feel an application to the toughness of the game from the Tigers. Maybe I'm judging them too harshly. Just the same I wouldn't be surprised if to a man the Tigers boys admitted they could've done better. You get the feeling their minds are on an end-of-season rest, or for many, a departure to new surroundings.

It's a tough time. Pride in personal performance is their only motivation now. We wait to see if that means something to these players.
Full marks to the home side though. They needed the win. They fought for it. They achieved it. They deserved it.

For now, the Titans are still alive in the finals race.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...804-2r7oj.html

[Toads]

15+ Rounds later 'n we finally witness some Entertaining Football again. Hardly anything to get too excited about, considering how the rest of the season has gone.

By the way, it's not the opinion of a pessimist. It's one of a gutted Fan that sees little resolve in the near future.

[Leeroy]

Good to see the boys put a win together.
I thought Sezer was outstanding and a future captain in the making.
Looks like my favorite young gun Ryan James has found that controlled aggression and think he should be a starting front row. I have a feeling someone had a word in his ear after the Broncos game and at the age of 22 has worked hard to find the balance.
Not sure on Nates figures. Is he carrying an injury but he seems to be carrying the ball up with much conviction.
Congrats to Mead. Thought he was great. I think they might have been scared to play him there as Zilly would have to become a centre.
At the end of the day it was against a 2nd last place Tigers but to have the injuries we have it was good for confidence.

[Coaster]

Its attitude, the 2 percent people talk about, and it comes from getting in the right state of mind before the game.

It changes everything

[Mr Stupid]

Great to be in the winners circle again and to keep the tigers fans subdued. Great effort all round but much as I like Anthony Don he always finds himself one in on that right side too often. Tigers just couldn't get the last pass right.
Top 8? Probably not. Feels like the lawyers' letters have gone off to the Governor and we've got a stay of execution. But where there is yesterday's will, there may be a way. I'll enjoy it while it lasts.