Round 8: WESTS TIGERS vs TITANS

[DavidBouveng]

[QUOTE=Mexican titan;342434]

also, i was listening to the radio ABC call of this, and some bloke was saying when teams were named how great a year gordon is having, and then when he did something good in game said he is sure he'll make one of the rep teams named tonight...WTF is he on.

QUOTE you could tell they were genuinely suprised we were a decent team, saying regularly the Titans are 'actually' playing very solid today like the rest werent....hey mate! its OUR job to rag on our team, stay out of it![/QUOTE

Yeah that was Warren Ryan - I was listening to that call as well and I couldn't believe it when he said that. In fact I was with my dog at an off leash park and didn't realise he was in a fight because I was tranced by that bit of commentary and heard nothing going on around me! Did you also hear how feral the crowd was. When I lived down there I thought the Redfern mob were shockers and I used to like going to Leichhardt but today sounded like all the the inmates had a day out from the asylum. Wouldn't it be great if our crowd got stuck in to the refs like that!

i was seriously concerned the tide was going to turn due to the crowd. they were just so loud and aggro. refs did well to judge it as well as they did imo.

- - - Updated - - -

Yeah MT, I've been super impressed with Don this season. You can tell he has played some fullback, as he seems to pop up all over the field. I thought he was unlucky not to get awarded that try today, and also would've scored another if James threw that pass as well. But he has had made some really nice breaks this year, safer than zilly under the high ball, and reads well in defense - in fact, i havnt seen him have a BAD game since newcastle in the mud last year.

Zilly will get given a spot in the 17 somewhere though, I just hope it isn't at fullback... I'd like to know what his MotM strike rate is out of interest.


Oh, and i thought Carty made a fairly decent argument for Taylor staying at centre in his interview with ABC radio today (draws defenders in attack, is able to do less work in the middle, and conserve petrol for getting us out of our end and play bigger minutes)

our metres out of our half has been good all year, but better when we do offload from that half, and he released a few people with his offload when they werent expecting it. if we could be that counter attacking (slingshot footy as they call it in AFL) team, we would be very dangerous. i hope he stays for a bit longer, which sucks for Blair, but we get injuries all the time so im sure taka or someone is due soon

[K2G]

Carty Interview with triple M [from about 19mins 53 seconds] he mentions a few interesting things.

* Agrees Carter looked great in the back-row, and is making it hard for the him to bring Carter off, once he's on
* Agrees we're struggling to score points, reckons plenty of teams are struggling to score points, makes no attempt at answering how far off we are from playing our best footy
* Gets asked the most condescending, back-handed question about our 'simple game plan suiting our roster' ... highlights Scott Prince's departure and Albert Kelly's emergence as a key reason for our building, and still work-in-progress 'structure' ...
* sounds cagey as f* when asked by Gordy Tallis whether Zillman will slot straight back in with Mead going so well; Carty basically says we're a better team with them both playing, although with prompting, agrees Zillman can play center, halves and dummy half!! - sounds to me like Coach thinks TP is still our #1 #1


The guy defects questions really well. Very diplomatic. Would do well in corporate relations when we sign a real coach.

[DavidBouveng]

not sure i want to watch it.

id love to see the general opinion on a top 17 now after things crystalizing over the last few weeks a bit more.

Myles is back to seriously good form, Don has avenged the demons of 2013, Mead finally owns the 1, blair is more than a podgy melbourne discard...some interesting discussion im sure.

[gcboyz]

Paul Carter brings a lot to this team with his niggle and aggression. Birdman had it all to himself for the past two seasons. Now with some serious aggro from Miles, Taka, and D.T. we have the making of our own "Bruiser Boys".
Ryan James applied for membership today but fell short of the mark.
Souths will be the test to see where we are really are.

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast Titans give Wests Tigers a taste of their own medicine

At the same ground and in almost identical conditions, the Gold Coast Titans did to the Wests Tigers what the Tigers did to Manly just three weeks ago.

In stark contrast to the blistering and explosive start the Tigers produced to shock competition heavyweights Manly at Leichhardt Oval in round five, the home side lacked the desire and fight to go with the Titans on Sunday afternoon.

Despite a mini resurgence to start the second half, the Tigers were a shadow of the football team that has rocketed into the top four after an eye-opening two months to start the season, going down 22-6.

However, the win could come at a price for the Titans. Dynamic halfback Albert Kelly injured a leg in the first half and didn't return.

In front of 8929 at the iconic suburban ground, the Titans avenged the humiliating 42-12 loss on home soil at the hands of the Tigers back in round two with a victory that sees them leapfrog the Tigers to equal first with the Bulldogs and Sea Eagles.

With Robbie Farah and James Tedesco on the sidelines nursing injuries, the Tigers could ill-afford to lose another player, however centre Tim Simona could miss several matches for a lifting tackle on Aidan Sezer in the second half.

In a fiery clash that saw tempers flare and jerseys grabbed on several occasions, the Tigers were unable to control the ball and never really entered the contest.

It was Sezer who opened the account for the Titans, making up for an early penalty-goal miss to step his way through some soft defence to score under the posts.

Despite the wet conditions, the Titans weren't afraid to keep the ball alive and were making easy inroads through the Tigers’ defence.

Sezer was again gifted an opportunity to take the two points, this time making no mistake to give his side an 8-0 lead after 13 minutes.

The Titans lost Kelly mid-way in the second half through injury then lost co-captain Nate Myles when he was sin binned for a professional foul, holding back Marty Taupau from being able to link with a runaway Luke Brooks.

The Titans looked to have been caught short from the ensuing set when Tim Simona crashed over out wide, however the video referee intervened to rule that Bodene Thompson had obstructed Sezer.

With Sezer nursing an ankle injury, Greg Bird stepped up and took another two points on offer, before a Paul Carter charge down saw Anthony Don extend the visitors' lead to 16-0.

The second half began the way the first half ended, with a charge down leading to a try.

This time it was Bird who was collected from a Blake Austin kick, with the former Panther chasing through to toe poke it into the in-goal. Simona was finally rewarded with the try that was taken from him in the first half.

A pin-point accurate grubber from Sezer saw Bird win the race to the ball and slam it down to extend the lead back to 16 points in the 54th minute.

A high tackle from Keith Galloway gifted the Titans their fourth penalty-goal attempt goal of the afternoon, however Bird failed in his bid to extend the deficit to 18 points with 14 minutes remaining.

Carter was also placed on report for a swinging arm on David Nofoaluma in the final minutes.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au

[DIEHARD]

Rd 8: Tigers v Titans Highlights

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[Stalks]

Looking at the Wests Tigers forum - the excuses about players missing etc - overall seems they didn't think we'd want revenge for Round 2 - then I saw this : "Only thing I am happy about is that could have been 40-6 if we play like that against a REAL team like the roosters it will be.. can't deny the effort though."

I guess actions speak louder than words - if the boys can stick in the top 4-8 and we polish the attack options then most knockers will be silent...

[shamus]

Anyone notice Ennis wheres head gear these days, when did that happen?- - - Updated - - -

Ennis split his melon last week so I think it is a precautionary thing..

[Titanic]

and Gus chirps in, trying to buy votes on the Coast:

Gold Coast Titans spring an ambush in Wests Tigers' lair

When the Gold Coast Titans arrived at Leichhardt Oval yesterday afternoon there would have been plenty of things going through their minds.The team was down on strength with several of their regular players missing. The heavy round two loss - 42-12 to the West Tigers - would have been vivid in their memory. They knew only too well how difficult the Tigers are to beat at this venue; and this point was never better emphasised only a fortnight ago when the Tigers completely ambushed the Manly Sea Eagles and delivered them a heavy defeat.
The conditions were cold, wet and windy. In this arena, under these conditions and with the home crowd so close to action cheering on their team this was obviously going to be a very physical affair.
When the going gets tough, you need to get tough with it. That is exactly what the Titans did in the early exchanges of this match.
The visitors set the standard for toughness and physicality. They also shocked the Tigers with their preparedness to move the ball quickly to the edges of the field and their willingness to unload the ball in tackles despite the greasy conditions.
The Tigers may have been anticipating a safety first approach from the Gold Coast boys, and were certainly taken aback by the swiftness of their ball movement and the footwork of their faster players.
The home side appeared to be on the back foot right from the jump, which was in the stark contrast to the way they blew Manly away in the early stages of that match only a fortnight ago.
Terrific dummy-half surges from hooker Beau Falloon, combined with the sharp darts from playmakers Albert Kelly and Aidan Sezer really troubled the Tigers' big men around the middle of the field.
Out on the edges, the Titans had selected an unusual combination with big Dave Taylor and Brad Takairangi playing as centres. Both these giants are more suited to play in the forwards and in the middle of the action. However, they created havoc out wide with their size and unloading ability.
Taylor was particularly impressive. He topped the run count for his team on the day, and every charge was felt by the opposing defenders. He combined his natural power game with some wonderfully skilful touches. His test was always going to be in defence where he was marking up on the smaller and much faster Tim Simona, but he never missed a beat. Taylor's defence was nothing short of outstanding.
Adding to their injury worries leading into the match, the Titans were dealt a cruel blow midway through the first half when playmaker Albert Kelly left the field with a suspected fractured leg. Up to this point Kelly had been brilliant and causing the West Tigers defenders no end of trouble.
The score was 8-0 in favour of the Titans at the time of his departure, and it seemed they might find it difficult to win without his direction.
In fact, statistics tell us that on the last 11 occasions an NRL team has lost their halfback before half-time, only two of these teams went on to victory. This was just another hurdle for the Gold Coast side to leap.
Into the game to replace Kelly came young dynamo interchange player Paul Carter. This kid has something special about him.
As I watched the game unfold, I couldn't really decide what position he was playing. He spent some time at dummy-half. He hit the ball up like a front-rower. He ran on the edges like a back-rower. He directed the play like a playmaker. He charges the ball forward with great intent, and resents any tackle. He has the ability to pass the ball before the line and position teammates inside or out. Carter also has an uncanny ability to unload in tackles even though he may be held by as many as three or four defenders. This lad is fast gaining a reputation as one of the best impact players coming off the interchange bench in this competition.
I could continue to praise each individual in the Titan’s side for their contribution to this success. They had many great players on the day. Suffice to say though this was a wonderful effort. Holding the flamboyant West Tigers to only one try in 80 minutes of football at Leichhardt Oval is no mean feat. The Titans defence was fast moving, physical and resilient. They met the Tigers on the advantage line all day, restricting their go-forward. They hustled and bustled the talented West Tigers playmakers all afternoon. On the few occasions their front line of defence was breached they scrambled well with great cover defence from their speedy outside men.
In fairness to the West Tigers, they too had several key players missing from their line-p, however, it just wasn't their day. They were certainly stunned by the ferocity of the Titans' opening gambit and never really recovered.
They were probably guilty of playing sideways far too often in their attacking formations, and were comfortably contained by the Gold Coast defence.
There is so much like about the potential of this Tigers team with so many fine young players now aboard. The loss on Sunday is just a part of the NRL learning cycle. They would have been brimming with confidence coming into the match. There is a big difference between confidence and complacency though. You soon learn that in the NRL, there is no game that can't be won, and there is certainly no game that can't be lost. If you are not mentally prepared and at your best every week, then chances are your opposition will be. I still like this Tigers side and feel that the lesson learntyesterday could prove valuable getting down towards the back end of the season.
On the day though, all honours went to the Gold Coast Titans. They were aggressive on the ball all afternoon, and every 50-50 possession seemed to go their way, simply because they forced the issue.
After eight rounds of the competition they are still equal leaders of the competition, and showing no signs of wilting.
It's a great position to be in as we enter the representative season.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/g...#ixzz308UjnotO

[Mexican titan]

Gus talks so much crap on the channel 9 broadcasts but his newspaper columns are usually a good read and constructively written. Like the one above.

[DIEHARD]

Gus talks so much crap on the channel 9 broadcasts but his newspaper columns are usually a good read and constructively written. Like the one above.

Which is strange. Maybe he has a ghost writer, haha.

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast Titans hit by injuries and suspensions after defeating Wests Tigers

Gold Coast Titans continue their great start to the season with a 16 point win over the Tigers

Just when the Titans look to be sailing through calm waters, sitting pretty at the top of the NRL table with a 6-2 record after a tough 22-6 victory over the Wests Tigers, trouble is on the horizon.

Halfback Albert Kelly will today be sent for X-rays over fears of a broken ankle while five-eighth Aidan Sezer has a sprained ankle that has put his NSW City Origin debut in jeopardy.

Titans coach John Cartwright said Sezer was doubtful to play this week in Dubbo, but would likely be ready for the Gold Coast after next week’s bye for the club’s home clash with South Sydney.

But the real danger is that Kelly could be a long-term casualty.

Just as was the case last year when the Titans were pushing for the top four, a broken ankle to their most dangerous player Jamal Idris resulted in their season sinking quicker than the Titanic.

A confirmed fracture or a syndesmosis injury to Kelly, the club’s leading tryscorer and most creative player, would be the worst possible scenario for a club that is winning on the back of gritty defence and then moments of brilliance.

“Albert we have to get an X-ray. He is putting some weight on it so that is a good sign, but it could be some sort of crack or break,” Cartwright told Triple M radio.

“But I’m not going to jump to any conclusions. We will get the X-ray and go from there.”

It was a brave win by the Titans, considering Kelly left the field in the first half and after going down 42-12 to the Tigers at their own home ground in round two the Gold Coast managed a 46-point swing in six weeks to get revenge at Leichhardt Oval.

The forwards rolled their sleeves up and did the hard yards in the middle, once again superbly led by their co-captains Greg Bird and Nate Myles who were both rewarded with Test match selection immediately after the win.

“(Bird) is probably the form player of the competition for me,” Cartwright said.

“Games like that are just made for him. He loves it.

Gold Coast Titans are counting the cost of a punishing win over Wests Tigers.
Greg Bird and Ryan James celebrate a big win for the Titans. Pic: Brett Costello Source: News Corp Australia
“The more the crowd and the ref get involved, I like it because that’s when he plays his best footy.”

Myles was sin-binned in the first half for a professional foul and still finished with a game high 48 tackles.

Showing the intensity of the Gold Coast’s entire defence the team had just 14 missed tackles for the entire match.

Rookie bench utility Paul Carter was another standout after he executed a superb charge down to set up Gold Coast’s second half try to Anthony Don.

“He is just a competitor. He makes a difference too. He wants to win,” Cartwright said.

Gold Coast head coach John Cartwright praises his side's courage in their 16 point win over the Tigers
“When guys play in the middle of the park they can take some time to get used to NRL speed, but he adapted. You don’t even look to bring him off at the moment.

“He has certainly been a find for us.”

Cartwright knows his team is still yet to hit top gear, but the beauty of them in 2014 is that they find a way to win and they’re better prepared to handle any injury setbacks that head their way.

“The thing the players are really excited about is they know they can improve a lot,” he said.

“There’s a lot of guys there who can score points from all over the park and that has probably kept us where we are at the moment, the odd bit of brilliance.

“We will keep working at our football and I’m sure it will click any time soon.”

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/nrl/

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast Titans hit by injuries and suspensions after defeating Wests Tigers

Gold Coast Titans continue their great start to the season with a 16 point win over the Tigers

Just when the Titans look to be sailing through calm waters, sitting pretty at the top of the NRL table with a 6-2 record after a tough 22-6 victory over the Wests Tigers, trouble is on the horizon.

Halfback Albert Kelly will today be sent for X-rays over fears of a broken ankle while five-eighth Aidan Sezer has a sprained ankle that has put his NSW City Origin debut in jeopardy.

Titans coach John Cartwright said Sezer was doubtful to play this week in Dubbo, but would likely be ready for the Gold Coast after next week’s bye for the club’s home clash with South Sydney.

But the real danger is that Kelly could be a long-term casualty.

Just as was the case last year when the Titans were pushing for the top four, a broken ankle to their most dangerous player Jamal Idris resulted in their season sinking quicker than the Titanic.

A confirmed fracture or a syndesmosis injury to Kelly, the club’s leading tryscorer and most creative player, would be the worst possible scenario for a club that is winning on the back of gritty defence and then moments of brilliance.

“Albert we have to get an X-ray. He is putting some weight on it so that is a good sign, but it could be some sort of crack or break,” Cartwright told Triple M radio.

“But I’m not going to jump to any conclusions. We will get the X-ray and go from there.”

It was a brave win by the Titans, considering Kelly left the field in the first half and after going down 42-12 to the Tigers at their own home ground in round two the Gold Coast managed a 46-point swing in six weeks to get revenge at Leichhardt Oval.

The forwards rolled their sleeves up and did the hard yards in the middle, once again superbly led by their co-captains Greg Bird and Nate Myles who were both rewarded with Test match selection immediately after the win.

“(Bird) is probably the form player of the competition for me,” Cartwright said.

“Games like that are just made for him. He loves it.

Gold Coast Titans are counting the cost of a punishing win over Wests Tigers.
Greg Bird and Ryan James celebrate a big win for the Titans. Pic: Brett Costello Source: News Corp Australia
“The more the crowd and the ref get involved, I like it because that’s when he plays his best footy.”

Myles was sin-binned in the first half for a professional foul and still finished with a game high 48 tackles.

Showing the intensity of the Gold Coast’s entire defence the team had just 14 missed tackles for the entire match.

Rookie bench utility Paul Carter was another standout after he executed a superb charge down to set up Gold Coast’s second half try to Anthony Don.

“He is just a competitor. He makes a difference too. He wants to win,” Cartwright said.

Gold Coast head coach John Cartwright praises his side's courage in their 16 point win over the Tigers
“When guys play in the middle of the park they can take some time to get used to NRL speed, but he adapted. You don’t even look to bring him off at the moment.

“He has certainly been a find for us.”

Cartwright knows his team is still yet to hit top gear, but the beauty of them in 2014 is that they find a way to win and they’re better prepared to handle any injury setbacks that head their way.

“The thing the players are really excited about is they know they can improve a lot,” he said.

“There’s a lot of guys there who can score points from all over the park and that has probably kept us where we are at the moment, the odd bit of brilliance.

“We will keep working at our football and I’m sure it will click any time soon.”

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/nrl/

[DIEHARD]

https://www.facebook.com/AretemArt

[DIEHARD]

Another nice one.