Bookies write off the Titans

[TITAN PETE]

Travis Meyn | 12:01am August 26, 2013

BOOKMAKERS have called curtains on the Gold Coast's season as the Titans face the daunting task of beating the table-topping Roosters and Storm without veteran forwards Ashley Harrison and Mark Minichiello.

Harrison (broken hand) and Minichiello (fractured cheek) will miss the rest of the season after being injured in the Titans' 24-22 loss to the Warriors at Skilled Park on Saturday.

William Zillman (groin) and centre Jamie Dowling (groin) are battling to return against the Roosters in Sydney on Sunday but pack leaders Greg Bird (back) and Luke Bailey (ankle) should be available for selection.

The Titans must beat the Roosters and then topple the Storm in Melbourne to make the finals, an insurmountable task according to bookmakers given they have lost seven of their past 10 games.

''I'm hard-pressed to put up an argument to see how they could be anywhere close in the betting against either of those two sides, even if the opposition decided to rest a couple of players,'' TattsBet's Gerard Daffy said.

''They need two miraculous wins and a lot of other things to go pear-shaped for them to get in. They've got to wait for next year now.''

The gutting loss on Saturday may have been the final nail in the Gold Coast's coffin. The team was sitting in fifth spot at the halfway point of the year. Its late-season form slump has coincided with a major injury toll but some ill-disciplined play has also been a huge factor.

The Titans must also overcome the Warriors loss mentally, with many players cutting a devastated figure after the game.


''We've addressed that already,'' coach John Cartwright said.

''You never play a perfect game of footy. We did make the rod for our own back. If you can play with pride and walk off with your head up high, that's what we aim to do for the next two weeks. If that gets us two wins, then we'll be playing semis.

''We've put ourselves in a position now where we're depending on results. We might have to have a few go our way.

''I don't fear any side in the competition when they play with that sort of character and pride.''

''They've showed this year they can beat anyone.''

Cartwright took a punt on playing with just two forwards on the bench and it backfired when Minichiello left the field after 10 minutes.

Fullback David Mead, who was among the best on ground, was sporting a stiff back yesterday but was confident he would be fit to face the Roosters. Kevin Gordon (concussion) will also be monitored.

[Toads]

They had us written off already, the weekend before last, when they were offering 200 to 1. Second highest odds (15th place), just ahead of Parra who have pretty well claimed the 'spoon.

Sorry, Travis Meyn. It's old news buddy..

[Titanic]

Yep, about two months old.