Round 8: TITANS vs SHARKS (2018)

[Mr Bods]

^^^ it’s a women’s game I believe
Much better than a game of friggin touch!!!

[RavShamrock]

We always seem to stand up against the sharks but after last week I dont think we can even rely on a upset win anymore. Good to see LG back to QCup he needs to have a stint there and work on his defence and gain some more confidence. Cartwright should offer some more attack and hopefully a bigger body in defence but damn Ash is going to have to finally take control of this team.

Exclusive Ash Taylor column: How Gold Coast Titans will get the best out of Bryce Cartwright

TITANS
April 27, 2018 6:40am
by ASHLEY TAYLOR
Source: FOX SPORTS

WHEN we run out onto Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday against the Sharks I’ll have a new halves partner and there’s no doubt it will be a different dynamic.

Bryce Cartwright has different traits to Kane Elgey. Kane is more of a genuine half whereas Bryce is a good runner of the ball and a big body with some incredible skill.

I’m sure he’ll be up to the job we need him to do.

Bryce has had to move around in a few different positions already this season and he’s probably found it tough to get into the game when he has come off the bench in recent weeks.

I imagine it’s difficult for anyone who comes off the bench to get into the flow of the game when they come on so I’m sure Bryce will appreciate being out there from the opening whistle.

He played some exceptional footy when he played five-eighth at the Panthers so he knows what he has to do.

He’s also been coached by Garth Brennan in the past so he knows what ‘Brenno’ expects of him and ‘Brenno’ knows how to get the best out of him.

As for how we’ll combine together, we’re still trying to work that out.

He’s more than capable of playing his side and putting on moves on his side of the field but we’ll just have to see how it pans out and what the coach wants.

We had a run on Tuesday, our main session was on Wednesday and then we’ll finish off with the captain’s run Friday.

Once we work out the combination that’s going to work best we’ll stick with it.


While I’m happy that Bryce has got his chance, obviously I feel for Kane.

You don’t want to see anyone get dropped out of the squad but I know he’s going to go back and kill it in the Intrust Super Cup to prove a point, that he belongs in the NRL.

Anytime someone gets dropped it’s hard because you know the talent is there, they might just be down on form a little bit or coming back from injury.

As a half you need to play with a level of confidence and calmness that makes the rest of the boys feel good about how the team is going.

I’ve been frustrated and disappointed in a few areas of my game this year but it’s important that when you do feel a little bit off that you work out different ways to get yourself back into the game.

Sometimes that can be hard to do but you just have to go out there and enjoy your footy.

Even though you might be behind on the scoreboard you’ve still got to enjoy it, learn how to react it in a positive way when things might be going against you.

Everybody’s different but as a halfback you have to be confident in everything that you do.

People like Mitchell Pearce, Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, you see how they prepare for a game and they just have this calming influence over everybody and a sense of belief that they can get the job done.

I’ve tried to work on that the past few weeks and I think I’ve been doing a good job in trying to pump some people up and give them some energy to feed off.

I’m only 52 games into my career so it’s hard to know whether I’m doing that or not.

It’s something I know I’ll have to get better at as I go on.

[Titanic]

Speaking of curtainraisers; can anybody else remember the incredible running brawl between Qld and NSW Firies before the very first State of Origin? Never saw anything better until Artie ran on.

[Bayside Titan]

Speaking of curtainraisers; can anybody else remember the incredible running brawl between Qld and NSW Firies before the very first State of Origin? Never saw anything better until Artie ran on.

No but I remember in Rugby Days at Browne Park in Rocky watching NQ Army v SQ Army as a curtain raiser and the first 10 minutes was both teams bashing each other. Oh good times..... maybe the girls can do the same.

[Mr Bods]

Speaking of curtainraisers; can anybody else remember the incredible running brawl between Qld and NSW Firies before the very first State of Origin? Never saw anything better until Artie ran on.

Hey Titanic how did Dally Messenger play when he scored a hat trick against Glebe? Were they individual efforts of were the tries laid on for him on a silver platter.

[DIEHARD]

Hey Titanic how did Dally Messenger play when he scored a hat trick against Glebe? Were they individual efforts of were the tries laid on for him on a silver platter.

Hahahaha. Titanic was also a regular at the George Hotel...

[DIEHARD]

Titans v Sharks: Graham out; Cartwright to halves
http://www.nrl.com

This is the type of game that will have almost everyone tipping the Sharks based on their gutsy win over Penrith and Gold Coast's loss to the Cowboys.

But it probably won't be that cut and dried.

The Sharks had their backs against the wall last week and were spurred on by a vocal home crowd. They got the job done but wins don't always make you as hungry and determined as losses, so the challenge this week for the Sharks is pick up where they left off.

That will be easier said than done against a team that has lost two in a row and has aspirations to make the finals. The Titans need to show us if those top eight plans should be taken seriously.

Key match-up: In some games it looks as though Ash Taylor can do anything he wants on a football field, which is why it leaves you scratching your head that he doesn't play at a high level from week to week, although he does have youth on his side. This week he is up against Chad Townsend and the Titans will be counting on a take-charge performance from the 23-year-old halfback.

For the Titans to win: Again, this team's prospects hinge largely on what they get from their hot and cold halves. Taylor needs to make sure the Titans play their own brand of football and avoid getting caught up in how the Sharks want to play.

For the Sharks to win: They can't take their vocal fans on the road, but the Sharks would've taken a lot of confidence out of their win over Penrith and should be eager to prove they have turned the corner. They will be hard to stop on Saturday if Moylan, Josh Dugan and Andrew Fifita play like they did against the Panthers. Wade Graham is also tipped to return.

Titans stat attack: The Titans are a bit of a bogey side for Cronulla, winning five of their past seven meetings with the Sharks. They have won three of their past four home games against the Sharks.

Sharks stat attack: Fifita leads the NRL in off-loads (26) but he has also been penalised a chart-topping 12 times. Moylan's 13 overall errors for the season has him at the top of the negative plays list.

And another thing: Gold Coast prop Jarrod Wallace will chalk up his 100th NRL game after starting his career with the Broncos.

Titans: 1 Michael Gordon, 2 Anthony Don, 3 Brendan Elliot, 4 Konrad Hurrell, 5 Phillip Sami, 6 Bryce Cartwrighitans:t, 7 Ashley Taylor, 8 Jarrod Wallace, 9 Mitch Rein, 10 Ryan James (c), 11 Kevin Proctor, 12 Will Matthews, 13 Jai Arrow

Interchange: 14 Max King, 15 Jack Stockwell, 16 Keegan Hipgrave, 17 Morgan Boyle

Reserves: 18 Brenko Lee, 19 Ryan Simpkins

Titans coach Garth Brennan dropped five-eighth Kane Elgey from last week's team beaten by the Cowboys, moving Bryce Cartwright to five-eighth. Morgan Boyle returns on the bench, while winger Tyronne Roberts-Davis has also been dropped. Phillip Sami reverts to wing and Brendan Elliot will play centre. Brennan cut AJ Brimson and Elgey from an extended reserves bench 24 hours before kick-off.

Sharks: 1 Josh Dugan, 2 Edrick Lee, 3 Jesse Ramien, 4 Ricky Leutele, 5 Valentine Holmes, 6 Matt Moylan, 7 Chad Townsend, 8 Andrew Fifita, 9 Jayden Brailey, 10 Matt Prior, 11 Scott Sorensen, 12 Wade Graham (c), 13 Joseph Paulo

Interchange: 14 Jayson Bukuya, 15 James Segeyaro, 16 Avagalu Seumanu***ai, 17 Kurt Dillion

Reserves: 18 Kurt Capewell, 20 Braden Uele

In a late blow for the Sharks, co-captain Wade Graham (hamstring) did not fly to the Gold Coast and is now likely to make his comeback next week against Parramatta. Jayson Bukuya (groin) returns on the bench, bumping Kurt Capewell out of the 17. Capewell and Braden Uele are reserves, with Jack Williams and Trent Hodkinson omitted from the squad on Friday night.

Head-to-head: Played 17; Titans 8 wins, Sharks 8 wins, 1 draw
Matches at venue: Played 7; Titans 4 wins, Sharks 2 wins, 1 draw
2017 results: Titans won 16-12 at Southern Cross Group Stadium in round 8 and 30-10 at Cbus Super Stadium in round 19
Points per game: Titans 18.6; Sharks 16.3
Points conceded per game: Titans 28.1; Sharks 19.7
Televised: Live on Fox League

Steve Turner's prediction: The Gold Coast Titans were poor last weekend and the Sharks were brilliant under adversity. The 2016 premiers showed signs of what people have come to expect of them. Their spine fired for the first time in 2018, Andrew Fifita was outstanding and they won without Paul Gallen, Wade Graham and Luke Lewis. The Titans have too many areas in their game to fix and won't have the class to match the visitors. Sharks by 12.

[DIEHARD]

Brennan wants dominant Cartwright at Titans
http://www.nrl.com

Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan says Bryce Cartwright needs to come out of his shell and have the confidence to be dominant around his new teammates when he steps into the five-eighth position against Cronulla at Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday night.

And he says an "opposed" ball session at training this week gave the best indication he might be set to do that and turn the corner with his career.

Cartwright has seemed hesitant to assert himself in his first seven matches in a Titans jersey and Brennan said that reflected his lack of confidence as he has been getting used to the players around him and his role in the side.

While Brennan conceded switching Cartwright to five-eighth was "not ideal", it may be the catalyst for him play the attacking football he was recruited to provide.

"The way he trained there [at five-eighth] on Wednesday, when he really took control and he was telling guys where to go, was exceptional," Brennan said.

"He probably steered them around more than Ash [Taylor] did, which was really exciting to see.

"That is only going to help with his confidence going forward.

"He has missed a lot of footy and been moved around positionally for a while, and we moved him again which is not ideal.

"A lot of it [lack of preparedness to dominate] is him still getting to know the players around him, on and off the field.

"They really responded to him [in the training session], and the more they respond, the more confidence he will get with the teammates around him."

Brennan hopes the switch of Cartwright to five-eighth is temporary. He wants the multi-talented Kane Elgey to regain confidence in his ability, particularly his defence.

Yet he pointed out Cartwright was Nathan Cleary's halves partner when he was introduced into the Panthers' side in 2016 and they quickly created a dominant pairing.

After playing the first 12 games of that season in the second row (one starting on the bench), Cartwright played the last 14 matches at five-eighth. Penrith won 10 of the next 13 games after Cartwright was switched to five-eighth in round 14, moving from 11th to sixth.

"Bryce is a pretty good organiser and people forget he was the five-eighth when Nathan Cleary made his debut at Penrith in 2016 [Cartwright moved there the following weekend actually, replacing Jamie Soward], and helped Nathan with the transition," Brennan said.

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast Titans props Jarrod Wallace and Ryan James on being back at Cbus Super Stadium
http://www.goldcoast.com.au

GOLD Coast’s NRL return to Cbus Super Stadium couldn’t come soon enough, with star prop Jarrod Wallace revealing the side fell short of the goals they set for their six-week travel block.

The Titans have not played at their Robina home field since Round 1, when they charged home to stun Canberra.

Since then, their travel path has taken them to Auckland, Toowoomba, Brisbane, Gladstone, Penrith and Townsville – and now back to the Coast, at last, to face Cronulla at 5.30pm tonight.

Wallace said a mission had been set to win four games in the six-week period between true home games and conceded they were disappointed to emerge with only two victories.

“A couple of us said we would like four from the six travelling,” he told the Bulletin.

“We were a little bit off but it wasn’t dire straits … now we have just got to be focusing on the rest of the year and now we’re back at home, that crowd and that atmosphere always helps us.

“And just that feeling of being in our sheds, being on our field always helps you as well. That’s our fortress where you don’t want to get beaten.

“We have still got plenty of games there to do that. We have got some tough games coming up too, especially the Sharks.”

Though unable to meet their lofty expectations, the side are still within striking distance with a 3-4 record.

“We would like to be going better but we’re definitely not going terrible,” Wallace added.

“It’s just such a tight comp at the moment. We’re not in a bad position.”

The match will be Wallace’s 100th at NRL level and he’ll get to lead the team out ahead of his old Titans under-18 teammate Ryan James.

“We played SG Ball together in 2009 so it’s going to be great running out behind him for his 100th game,” said James, now the club’s NRL skipper.

“He has come back to where it started and hopefully he can finish it here as well. I’d love to play with Jarrod long-term and I think we go well together up in the front-row.”

James was equally excited to return to Cbus, where they last year trounced the Sharks 30-10 in torrential conditions.

“Hopefully it’s going to be a packed stadium,” he said.

“The field is looking in the best condition it has looked in and I’m just stoked to be back home playing in front of my family.”

[Dooldog76]

It’s GF day. I’m pumped. I really hope we get a win.

[TITAN PETE]

Might have to get directions to the stadium , it's been a long wait


We'll win this

[JunctionBlock]

No Gallen, No Lewis and now no Graham. We can't ask for much more....surely.

[Titanic]

To Bodsie and DH (what does that mean again?) I am very disappointed to read that that’s the best you’ve got. Messenger was an overrated twat who lived off his reputation and the goodwill of the refs. As for the George ... no self-respecting person has ever called that watered-down, swill-serving hole their ‘local’.

[Mr Bods]

^^^ and now I’ve been well and truly told.
Today is so big, it’s so huge i can barely contain myself.
Dools stole my thunder but yes indeed this is GF Day on the GC.
Fire Up, get your family members fired up and get to this huge game for our season.
I don’t want this thread to be a miserable place at 8pm tonight

[5 Year Contract]

No but I remember in Rugby Days at Browne Park in Rocky watching NQ Army v SQ Army as a curtain raiser and the first 10 minutes was both teams bashing each other. Oh good times..... maybe the girls can do the same.

Remember them fondly! Im heading to the great browne park tonight to watch the coal train shamble around for the capras