Round 13: WESTS TIGERS vs TITANS

[IpswichTitans]

C'mon King! Davin deserves the call up!

[IpswichTitans]

1 Josh Hoffman
2 Anthony Don
3 James Roberts
4 Brad Tighe
5 Kevin Gordon
6 Aidan Sezer
7 Kane Elgey
8 Luke Douglas
9 Daniel Mortimer
10 Nate Myles (c)
11 Ryan James
12 Dave Taylor
13 Lachlan Burr

Interchange
14 Mark Iaone
15 Eddy Pettybourne
16 Ben Ridge
17 Kierran Moseley
18 Agnatius Paasi

[Geeman]

I have always rated Tighe as a player, but I really think his best is behind him, and last weekends game sadly confirmed it for me - Time for new blood.

[TitanSam]

Still no Crampton?. I'm happy Ioane is there instead of White.

[Titanic]

I would be happier if Crampton was there but can accept Tighe and certainly wish that Paasi was there instead of White and almost anybody other than those nuffies Gordon and Ridge.

[JunctionBlock]

I was quite happy with Tighe last weekend. Thought he earned the right to keep his spot. Happy to see Henry pull the trigger on White. I'm sure we'll hear the howls for Hala over Iaone from a few but if Paasi was fit he should be straight back in the team. Bit worried to still see Ridge there and hopefully Taylor comes off the bench again.

[mup23]

from memory i feel like we do ok against the tigers at leichhardt?

We've played there twice.
Lost 20-18 in Round 11, 2008
Won 22-6 in Round 8, 2014

[Hail Sezer]

Is it possible we are unable to play Crampton due to 2nd tier salary cap restrictions?

[JunctionBlock]

Is it possible we are unable to play Crampton due to 2nd tier salary cap restrictions?

He was named 18th man a couple of weeks ago. I think Tighe is just in front due to his experience. Perhaps he can find his way into the team through Ridge's boots.

[DIEHARD]

Wests Tigers v Gold Coast Titans
Leichhardt Oval Friday, 7.35pm

Like Batman being lowered into a tank full of sharks by the Joker, both the Wests Tigers and Gold Coast Titans know that if they don't start climbing the ladder soon their hopes for a fruitful 2015 season will be ripped to shreds.

Currently one win from both eighth position and dead last on the Telstra Premiership ladder, the only points either team has banked since Round 8 has come courtesy of their respective byes with the Tigers actually moving up three spots on the back of their weekend off.

Prior to the bye the Tigers had fallen in consecutive weeks to the Roosters, Knights and Cowboys while the Titans' three-game winning streak has been all but wiped away following losses to the Raiders, Sharks and Rabbitohs.

Although they defended stoutly against South Sydney in Round 12 the Titans' chances were cruelled by a horrible completion rate and a penalty count that went 10-6 the way of the Rabbitohs.

The Tigers have gone more than 110 minutes since they last scored a point but will relish the chance to play a rare Friday night game at Leichhardt Oval.

Aaron Woods has been named captain in the absence of Robbie Farah with David Nofoaluma and Keith Galloway to return having missed the 8-0 loss to the Cowboys.

Chris Lawrence has again been named to play in the back row for the Tigers with Kyle Lovett dropping back to a six-man bench that also includes rookie hooker Manaia Cherrington and young props Jack Buchanan and Matthew Lodge.

The Titans will once again be without William Zillman (back) with Mark Ioane replacing Matthew White on the bench and Agnatius Paasi included on an extended bench. Daniel Mortimer will again start at hooker with Kierran Moseley to be used off the bench.

Watch Out Tigers: Now is the time when Queensland players normally hit top form and Dave Taylor showed against the Rabbitohs last Saturday that his best may not be too far away. Stung by his omission from the Maroons from Game One, Taylor came off the bench against South Sydney and was a handful from his first run. He ran for 144 metres in 49 minutes, laid on a try for Anthony Don with some silky skill late in the second half and had three tackle busts of his own. The 'Coal Train' has been named to start this week and his match-up with Curtis Sironen will be a beauty.

Watch Out Titans: Top of the tip sheet any time a team takes on the Tigers, limiting the influence of tackle-busting James Tedesco is an assignment easier planned than executed. In a game where his team failed to score a point last start against the Cowboys, Tedesco had an astonishing 10 tackle busts to take his season tally to 62, the most in the NRL through 12 rounds. In their past three matches the Titans have missed an average of 39 tackles per game, a stat no doubt music to the ears of the elusive Tedesco.

Key Match-up: Luke Brooks v Kane Elgey. The 20-year-old reigning Dally M Rookie of the Year matches wits with the 21-year-old reigning Holden Cup Player of the Year in what the respective fans will hope is the first of many meetings between the pair. In his second full year in the NRL Brooks is developing a wonderful combination with fullback James Tedesco and with six tries, trails only Tedesco and Pat Richards as the Tigers top try-scorer. Elgey's opportunity in the NRL came earlier than anticipated courtesy of an injury to Daniel Mortimer and he made an immediate impact, the Titans winning four of their first five games with Elgey at No. 7. This game will be close with 10 minutes to go and the result will hinge on which young half can make the right decisions under pressure.

History: Played 14; Tigers 7; Titans 7. Pat Richards' field goal in Round 2 that gave the Tigers a 19-18 win right on full-time was the third time in seven wins over the Titans where the Tigers have prevailed by a solitary point. They twice got the better of Gold Coast to the tune of 15-14 and in the first meeting of these two teams at Leichhardt in 2008 Wests prevailed 20-18. This will be Wests Tigers' 65th game at Leichhardt Oval where they have a winning percentage of 61 per cent.

Did You Know? Pat Richards has cashed in against the Titans, in three games against Gold Coast Richards has scored four tries, kicked 10 goals and kicked the match-winning field goal in Round 2 for a personal tally of 39 points.

What Are The Odds? Wests Tigers $1.65, Titans $2.25. The Titans have been identified as great value by Sportsbet punters and the money is running 2:1 in favour of the visitors. Gold Coast at the line has been gobbled up with the Titans receiving the start (3.5). Latest odds at Sportsbet.com.au

Match Officials: Referee: Ashley Klein. Assistant Referee: Henry Perenara. Touch Judges: Ricky MacFarlane and Russell Turner. Video Referees: Steve Chiddy and Luke Patten.

Televised: Channel Nine – Live 7.30pm (NSW); Delayed 9.30pm (Qld)

The Way We See It: Two teams desperate to stay within reach of the top eight put it all on the line as we reach the halfway point of the season. The Tigers' home ground advantage counts for plenty but the absence of Robbie Farah could cruel their chances. In the past four years the Tigers have played 21 games without Farah and have won just six at a winning percentage of 29 per cent. The Titans have been somewhat unfortunate to lose their past two and may just find a way to turn the tables on a rare Friday night. Titans by seven points.

http://www.nrl.com/

[NSW Titan]

Mead expected to come into the sqaud for Gordon, anyone else going to the game tonight?

[K2G]

Mead expected to come into the sqaud for Gordon, anyone else going to the game tonight?

Happy for Mead to come back into the side (according to Massoud, Gordon is still trying to get out of the final years of his contract to play with the cows). Hopefully Paasi comes in for Ioane and somehow Crampton sneaks in for Tighe.

Spewing I can't get there tonight! One of the few grounds I still haven't watched the Titans play at (Mt Smart and 1300 Smiles being the other two). Hopefully it's a cracker. I'll be cheering from the lounge

Go Titans!!

- - - Updated - - -

Also, big boost for us with two of their weapons in Nofoaluma and Sironen ruled out...

[NSW Titan]

Happy for Mead to come back into the side (according to Massoud, Gordon is still trying to get out of the final years of his contract to play with the cows). Hopefully Paasi comes in for Ioane and somehow Crampton sneaks in for Tighe.

Spewing I can't get there tonight! One of the few grounds I still haven't watched the Titans play at (Mt Smart and 1300 Smiles being the other two). Hopefully it's a cracker. I'll be cheering from the lounge
Go Titans!!

- - - Updated - - -

Also, big boost for us with two of their weapons in Nofoaluma and Sironen ruled out...

Completely agree with those two change requests! I say let go of Gordon he is not the player he once was and we have young wingers at the club who can do the job (for less money I assume) would definitley like to see Leva Li in first grade soon.
I try to get out to as many of the leichardt oval games as possible it is such a good ground to watch footy at, you should go one day there may not be too many left!

[DIEHARD]

I just realised this game is on tonight. So I am going to have to haul ass to get home in time. Will probably miss the start.

Hopefully we can move on with a win here.

[DIEHARD]

NRL 2015: Titans fear Tigers fullback James Tedesco

YOU could forgive Gold Coast coach Neil Henry for being extra wary of a man capable of doing backflips.

But it’s not Daly Cherry-Evans who has the Titans coach losing sleep any more, it’s Wests Tigers fullback James Tedesco.

Tedesco, the gun fullback who backed out of a Canberra deal last year to stay at the Tigers, looms as the biggest attacking threat the Titans must conquer tonight at Leichhardt Oval to relaunch their season.

After the contractual drama over Cherry-Evans in recent days Henry needs a win if only to divert attention from the giant hole left in their 2016 recruitment plans to show there is light still left in the 2015 tunnel.

“The fact that players are coming or not coming, that is next year. We’re not talking about that now, it’s not relevant,” Henry said.

“The boys have been pretty resilient with whatever has been happening around the club and there have been a few things since preseason but we get on with the game.

“We’re thinking about what we can do with this squad and we think we can do something special and I think we need to get on a bit of a run and get some results.

“The competition is that tight we need to string a few games together.

“This is a very important game … Wests Tigers need to win as well as there is a lot of congestion around that bottom eight.”

Stopping Tedesco, who has two tries, three linebreaks and 13 tackles busts in his past two games against the Titans is priority No.1 tonight.

Add winger Pat Richards to the mix, who has four tries, four linebreaks, 12 tackle busts and a game winning field goal from his last three games against the Titans and it’s clear two men have done the most damage to the Gold Coast.

“Tedesco is still really dangerous at the back,” Henry said.

“I think Pat Richards has a few points against us as well so we need to stop that trend.

“They’re a dangerous side as well if you give them a bit of space. Certainly they attack your line and they don’t mind throwing the ball around particularly on the last play.”

Skipper Nate Myles said the Titans were preparing to face a Tigers outfit ready to play attacking football again after they were widely criticised for a scoreless defeat to a North Queensland outfit missing four Origin stars.

With the Titans 13th with a 4-7 record but only one win outside the top eight Myles believes it is now or never for their season..

“For sure we need to win every game, we’re not on the right side of the scoring sheet yet,” Myles said.

“We need to start winning and building otherwise our run is going to be too late and I think any more losses is going to hurt us too much.”

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