Round 3: TITANS vs KNIGHTS

[Jonathonbcode]

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Just back from the game and agree with most. I have copied Titanics as it's the closest to what I think without having to say it again.
I watched LG in QCup and he has to come in soon. I thought Sezer was good in general play but can we find a kicker in general play that can find the ground. For Christs sake.
Bird, Zilly and Morts atrocious and if Bird's mind is elsewhere he should go now.
I know plenty on here rave about Roberts but other than a few flashes of brilliance he has been ordinary and his defence is poor. As for tonight, did nothing.
However I do believe the team has a better structure in attack. Had Carty been here that would have been a boring 20-6 loss, but for sure it's time Henry made some changes.

Cartwright was so lucky to have Prince, Rogers and Campbell on the roster...

[lonegull]

Anyone got crowd figure

[Mexican titan]

Anyone got crowd figure

it was 6,942 or something close to that. I know the 6,900 was right. Thank God for the junior players as that boosted it up a bit.

Edit :Was 6,962

[TITAN PETE]

Just watched the Intrust Cup replay & Elgey must play next game I don't believe for a second he should be blooded playing for Tweed before he comes into the NRL he has proven himself over the past 3 weeks of how much skill he has now against top line opposition, this season is over after 3 games so King make the changes needed which also need the inclusion of Davin Crampton who is a better centre than anyone we already have playing in the centres including Roberts..

[Titan4Life]

Apparently Mortimer is going off for scans on his hand tomorrow. Played half the game with a busted hand. We possibly could see Elgey next week after all...

..nek minute Neil goes full ****** and selects Zillman at halfback

[TITAN PETE]

Lachlan Burr had a great game yesterday for Burleigh with a Man of the Match performance so he has to be considered for selection next week too

[Jonathonbcode]

Remember when Mead was on fire at fullback and Cartwright for whatever reason sabotaged it and put Zillman in that spot?

[5 Year Contract]

Apparently Mortimer is going off for scans on his hand tomorrow. Played half the game with a busted hand. We possibly could see Elgey next week after all...

..nek minute Neil goes full ****** and selects Zillman at halfback

Dont you put that evil on me TFL!!!! dont you put that on us!!!!

[rj62]

Henry is 3 games into his stint with a club that has been dragged through the absolute muck with one of the most enveloping issues ever surrounding an NRL club. He's had to endure loss of players, grounds, facilities, toxic press to name just a few.

He has form of making changes up north and is known for it.

For F@&k sake, let the dust settle, get off his back and let him see who's who.

Any comparisons to Carty are a joke. If he's still at it 12 games in then there's something to moan about. Until then let the poor bastard do his job with the cards he's been dealt. I for one am very glad that he's at the helm.

[Jonathonbcode]

If Elgey does play, hopefully he can tear the ****ing house down..

[Toads]

Just watched the Intrust Cup replay & Elgey must play next game I don't believe for a second he should be blooded playing for Tweed before he comes into the NRL he has proven himself over the past 3 weeks of how much skill he has now against top line opposition, this season is over after 3 games so King make the changes needed which also need the inclusion of Davin Crampton who is a better centre than anyone we already have playing in the centres including Roberts..

Yup, both LG 'n Crampton have got to be in the 17 next week. First time I've seen them both in action today 'n they bring a lot more to their respective positions in one game, than what the guys of the last 3 rounds have coughed up. Surely Henry can't hold them out any longer?

[Titan Crius]

Henry is 3 games into his stint with a club that has been dragged through the absolute muck with one of the most enveloping issues ever surrounding an NRL club. He's had to endure loss of players, grounds, facilities, toxic press to name just a few.

He has form of making changes up north and is known for it.

For F@&k sake, let the dust settle, get off his back and let him see who's who.

Any comparisons to Carty are a joke. If he's still at it 12 games in then there's something to moan about. Until then let the poor bastard do his job with the cards he's been dealt. I for one am very glad that he's at the helm.

Could not agree more with your comments.
I got to the ground saturated, stayed saturated inside and out but thoroughly enjoyed the days footy but not the results of course.
Again the effort by our Team was fantastic but errors at crucial times in the game cost us a well-deserved victory.
We are a team re-building under a new Coach structure and I have nothing but respect for Henry and the job he is doing.
I have not coached at his level and he has been a NRL Head Coach for many years with a very impressive record as Coach.
The definite knock-on by Sims in the 2nd half was a huge bad decision by match officials and changed the course of the game and imo a definite Victory for Titans.
I watched game closely and yes Mortimer had two bad kicks but the game is always a matter of inches and both kicks were so close to being ok, but his defence work was outstanding and he cleaned up many tackles and always give 100% & if half the game was with a broken hand, fantastic.
Our Forwards really put in and finished on even footing with Knights Pack, cant understand how Bird can be bagged by some, when the man just put in (with no match fitness), some of his stinging defence was outstanding.
With our backs Hoffman was great, and James although a bit quiet, was up against an inform centre and I thought put in, but with the conditions just could not show his attacking brillance, Wingers went well.
I really respect Zilly and his input into our club, and any player that plays over 100 NRL games should be respected, but I have to admit that time has come for Zilly to have a stint in Instruct Cup. He appears to have lost all confidence in his game and at times a yard slower (when he has speed) and lost.
I was proud to be a Titan Supporter after our NYC & NRL games yesterday, and isnt it all we asked as supporters is for our team to put in and by god both sides did.

[Smakked]

Everyone is saying the Rabbits have forgotten how to loose, we on the other hand have forgotten how to win, our confidence i shot to pieces and we need to drop Morts.

[DavidBouveng]

would be good to see elgey against the broncs in a few weeks

[K2G]

Mortimer deserves to stay, says Sezer
Mon 23 Mar, 2015, 6:50am | By Tony Webeck, Chief Queensland Correspondent, NRL.com

Titans five-eighth Aidan Sezer has leapt to the defence of halves partner Daniel Mortimer in the wake of his two crucial kicks out on the full in the second half against the Knights on Sunday.

With his team leading 18-14 Mortimer attempted a 40/20 kick in the 69th minute that sailed over the sideline by a metre or so but his second effort three minutes later put his side under further defensive pressure which they were ultimately unable to withstand.

On the back of a stunning try-saving tackle by Josh Hoffman on a runaway Joseph Leilua in the 72nd minute, Mortimer took the ball on halfway on the Titans right edge and hit what could only be described as a shank off his right boot, the ball barely making it to the 40-metre line before going into touch on the full.

They were significant momentum shifts as the game hung in the balance but not sufficient to cost him his place in the team against the Sharks on Saturday according to Sezer.

"I think it's too early to start talking about spots there," said Sezer. "'Mortsy' obviously had a few kicks that weren't up to his standard but I'm sure he'll turn it around.

"He's one of the hardest workers in the club and he'll turn it around for next week so it would be good to see him next week in that No.7."

Putting further pressure on Mortimer's place in the team is the form of 2014 under-20s player of the year Kane Elgey in the early rounds of the Intrust Super Cup.

In atrocious conditions on Sunday afternoon Elgey was named Man of the Match in Tweed Heads' 34-10 win over Norths but Sezer believes he and Mortimer deserve more time to foster their combination in the coming weeks.

"It's still working, as the whole team is, under a new coach and new process but it's no excuse," Sezer said of their combination. "We've had the whole pre-season together and we need to get some wins on the board.

"We've put ourselves in two situations at home to get the win and we haven't done so so we've got to play for the full 80 [minutes]."

Titans coach Neil Henry is understandably excited about Elgey's potential but also defended the performance of Mortimer, highlighting his defensive efforts in which he made 35 tackles and missed just one.

Mortimer also played a key role in setting up Sezer's second try that put the Titans in front although Henry stopped just short of guaranteeing his place in the team for next week.

"We've got to learn to be better at ending our sets and getting good field position. We grafted to good positions a couple of times and put a couple out on the full, that's in the mix as another reason why we didn't mount any pressure," Henry said.

"That falls on the shoulders of our kickers and that's part of the puzzle.

"I saw bits of [the Tweed] game before I came and [Elgey] was pretty good but 'Morts' has made some plays out there too.

"Stopping people on the tryline with his 82-kilo frame and getting in front of people, so there's parts of his game that I really like.

"We'll have a look but whether Kane is ready to step up I don't know but he is a player of the future."

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Titans v Knights: Newcastle beat Gold Coast 20-18 in thrilling finish
TODD BALYM THE COURIER-MAIL MARCH 22, 2015 9:30PM

TITANS coach Neil Henry will seek an explanation from referees boss Tony Archer after a blatant knock on missed by a video official proved the difference in a heartbreaking 20-18 loss to Newcastle on Sunday night.

Gold Coast’s courageous fightback from a 14-6 half-time deficit despite a controversial first half try to Dane Gagai put them on the cusp of an emotional breakthrough win at Cbus Super Stadium only for the Titans to capitulate at the death.

Two monumental errors by halfback Daniel Mortimer to kick out on the full in the last 10 minutes piled pressure on the Titans defence for Jeremy Smith to score untouched beneath the posts.

It was the third try the Knights scored without a Titan laying a hand on their jersey prompting Henry to be just as upset at his men as he was at the referees.

It was clearly a game the Titans should have won — with Greg Bird, David Taylor and Beau Falloon returning from suspensions relating to cocaine charges — but they’re now 0-3 to start the year and Henry needs answers from officials and his own men.

Video referee Gavin Badger has a contender for howler of the year after he ruled that Korbin Sims had touched a ball backwards in the lead up to Gagai’s 45m stunner.

Proving just how much of a shocker Badger had in the box he later advised referee Adam Devcich to put Dave Taylor on report for a tackle on Jarrod Mullen, when in actual fact it was Greg Bird who was the culprit.

“We will have a bit of banter during the week about it,” Henry said.

“It was a clear touch, they said it was a knock back. I couldn’t tell from my angle.

“It is a game of inches and calls and interpretations, that’s the way it is.

“It’s a tight call and we have to look for other reasons for them scoring points as well … the nature of their points was disappointing.

“The fact is we did allow three tries, they were pretty clear cut.”

Titans star Aidan Sezer was certain it was a knock on but said his players needed to play the whistle, rather than stop to watch Gagai bolt clear.

“I thought it was a knock on there but you have to play the whistle and they made the most of it and transferred it into four points,” Sezer said.

“We have to look at ourselves and just play the whistle.”

The loss took the gloss off what was a stunning game by off-contract pivot Sezer, who set up one try and scored two himself with a controlled performance to prove he would be the best man to partner Daly Cherry-Evans in the halves next season.

But if ever there was proof the Titans needed a calm and experienced head in the No.7 jersey it came with Mortimer’s shanks off the boot.

Sezer said Mortimer should not be dropped for his errors, but with young half Kane Elgey rated a “player of the future” by Henry there is a whiff of change in the air in the coming weeks if Mortimer doesn’t step up more consistently.

“In the end a couple of kicks out on the full just gifted them opportunities to attack our line. We defended well but in the end we didn’t hang on,” Henry said.

The Titans are now winless to start the season, two tight home losses have them now rooted to the bottom of the ladder with North Queensland and next week’s opponents Cronulla.

“You’re right we could be two wins and four points but we are not and we need to look at reasons for why we are not and then converting that into points and being more consistent as a team,” Henry said.