Round 24: Gold Coast Titans vs New Zealand Warriors

[Boofhead]

Gold Coast Titans vs New Zealand Warriors

5.30pm Saturday 24 August 2013 - Skilled Park

[Boofhead]

Fingers crossed Birdy and Kelly will be fit.

[Toads]

Just watched the Warriors vs. Panthers Match.. We got no fricken hope for the remainder of the year.

[Boofhead]

Bailey and Kelly return to boost Titans
Liam Butterworth | Sun Aug 18 2013, 12:27

Coach John Cartwright says the Gold Coast's horror run of injuries may be tempered by the return of Albert Kelly and Luke Bailey next week as their final hopes still sit firmly in their own hands.

Utility Luke O'Dwyer joined centre Jamal Idris on the club's long term injury list after he was carried off against North Queensland on Saturday, with scans to confirm if the 30-year-old has been forced into early retirement with an anterior cruciate ligament tear.

Another injury scare had already gone through the team after captain Greg Bird was carried off with a back injury, but team doctors were hopeful it was just a spasm and he would be ready to play the New Zealand Warriors at home on Saturday.

But with fullback William Zillman and hooker Matt Srama making their return in the 22-10 loss to the Cowboys, Cartwright said the return of Kelly and former Origin and Test prop Luke Bailey could be consolation for the loss of O'Dwyer.

Earlier this month it appeared Bailey's career was over on 249 games after a serious ankle injury, while five-eighth Kelly was also in doubt for a return this season after serious bruising on his sternum.

"It's (finals destiny)still in our own hands and I knew that coming up here (to Townsville)," Cartwright said.

"We're getting some fresh troops at a really important time."

The Titans mentor said his fears were realised with a slow start against the Cowboys, saying the five day turnaround from Monday's win over the Canterbury Bulldogs had hurt them.

But they can't afford that type of start if they are wanting to keep their spot at eighth.

The Gold Coast's run gets even harder in the final two weeks, playing away to leaders Sydney Roosters and defending premiers Melbourne Storm.

Prop Nate Myles said the injury toll didn't excuse the loss against the Cowboys, with plenty of chances still left to win the match. He said they didn't deserve to be playing finals football this year if they couldn't produce 80 minute performances.

"I think it's probably a good test for us," Myles said.

"If we're not competing with sides like the Roosters and Melbourne, which to be honest we shouldn't even be talking about because we've still got the Warriors next week.

"In saying that the Warriors when they're on they're one of the best to play against.

"If we're not competing with those three teams and if we lose we don't really deserve to be in the finals."

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8708074

[Boofhead]

1. Mead
2. Gordon
3. Takairangi
4. Dowling
5. Zillman
6. Sezer
7. Kelly
8. James
9. Srama
10. Myles
11. Harrison
12. Minichiello
13. Bird

14. Taylor
15. Douglas
16. Ridge
17. Falloon

18. Bailey

[thelwall]

1. Mead
2. Gordon
3. Takairangi
4. zillman
5. dowling
6. Sezer
7. Kelly
8. James
9. Falloon
10. Bailey
11. myles
12. Harrison
13. Bird

14. Taylor
15. Douglas
16. Ridge
17. Srama
18. Minichiello

[Hail Sezer]

1. Zillman
2. Zillman
3. Zillman
4. Zillman
5. Zillman
6. Zillman
7. Zillman
8. Zillman
9. Zillman
10. Zillman
11. Zillman
12. Zillman
13. Zillman

14. Zillman
15. Zillman
16. Zillman
17. Zillman
18. Zillman

[Supergoose]

We are still in the 8 after the results this weekend. We should be very optimistic e about our chances. I don't want to see Bailey sharking hit-ups from James and Douglas who have been great in his absence. We need Bailey to take control in short bursts and leave the hard yakka to the young blood.

I'd love to see Kelly back in the halves and Harrison shuffled out to an edge if bird is good to go. Zillman to left centre for Dowling and Don to right wing with Mead at the back. Likely Falloon is out I guess

Mead, Gordon, Zillman, Taka, Don, Sezer, Kelly, James, Srama, Myles, Taylor, Harrison, Bird, Ridge, Bailey, Douglas, Minichiello, Dowling.

[teke]

I just wanna see them run hard and tackle hard which they didn't really do too well vs the cows

[Supergoose]

Not all of them, I agree. Did Taka have ice-skates on, because he could barely stand upright. Harrison showed why he's not a 5/8 and Sezer showed he still has a stack of improvement as far as consistency goes.

[C-Whiz]

Who is going to this game? Family day, etc. I'll be taking the 4 of us.

This is our season here. I still think Storm last round could give us their B team, depending on what they have to play for, and they might get beat up against Manly in round 25, rest players etc, so I still have us for 2 points from that game.

Either way, we still MUST WIN this game.

I'll be there enjoying the last home game of the regular season. Gonna make a day of it, catch a bit of FMX before the game, might even splurge on a couple of overpriced mid-strengths for me and some hot chips for the kids.

[Mt Smart]

Hi guys it's that time of year again.

Tough Weekend for us over here in Auckland , took my young fellah to watch the Warriors capitulate to the Panthers.

Still smarting ( pun intended ) from that one but I'll try me best to be constructive.

This game looms as a real tough call as far as who wins it goes.
But to give you all some sense of what many Warriors fans are seeing with the team of late.....a smart / surgical type offense will win it for the Titans
You have the edge players to take the Warriors apart in the same way Penrith did. Manu can't mark up one on one against a Winger who can move laterally.
This problem is amplified by Dane Neilson being out injured ( scans / xrays to come ) Jerome Ropati who is at the Clinton Toopi stage of his career is the likely replacement ( sheit )

Shaun Johnson defending on the other edge is a Nancy , a two on one using a tall / off loading player to commit Hurrell and a hard running Backrower will carry Johnsons Jersey grab all the way to the Try line.

Well that's my five cents.
The squad across the park looks flat , only one new player ( Suia Matangi ) is going to need careful watching ( runs like a cape buffalo ).
Freindy has had his contract extended of course and he is one of few who can hold his head up after this week.....expect the usual class from him ( have you got any more like that bloke you all want to sell ? ).
This is the only club I can stand losing to because it's the other mob of underdogs versus the Evil NRL Empire.

Good Luck enjoy the game , If you win I'll be ridding the Titans into the finals

[Titanic]

Nice summary MS ... I thought Neilson was going to be great for you guys but he's done a Champion on you this year. I would take Ropati over either of our centres at the moment but Matangi is a revelation particularly as he's in my DreamTeam ... we don't have any more players for you but we do have a coach you can have ... good luck this weekend but not too much of it

Also my 2 cents worth anybody else think it will be Minichiello or Ridge that will get the chop and not Falloon?

[K2G]

The iSelect Gold Coast Titans have today named halfback Albert Kelly to return from injury for the club’s final home game of the regular season against the New Zealand Warriors at Skilled Park on Saturday night (5.30pm).

iSelect Titans vs Warriors
Saturday, August 24
5.30pm, Skilled Park

1 William Zillman
2 Kevin Gordon
3 Brad Takairangi
4 Jamie Dowling
5 David Mead
6 Aidan Sezer
7 Albert Kelly
8 Luke Douglas
9 Beau Falloon
10 Nate Myles
11 Greg Bird
12 Mark Minichiello
13 Ashley Harrison
Interchange
14 David Taylor
15 Ryan James
16 Ben Ridge
17 Matt Srama

[Hail Sezer]

How the hell does Zillman deserve to be wearing the #1? It's insulting to Meady.