Round 14: TITANS vs SOUTHS

[DavidBouveng]

Interesting, no mention of the penalty count.

most of our penalties were correct, we were very very dumb. we probably could have got some more ourselves though.

[gotitans101_]

most of our penalties were correct, we were very very dumb. we probably could have got some more ourselves though.

What about theirs (or lack thereof). Are you seriously telling me they were almost flawless the entire game? Rubbish. You know I'm one of the harshest critics of this team but that refereeing performance was absolutely disgraceful.

[DavidBouveng]

What about theirs (or there lackof?) Are you seriously telling me they were almost flawless the entire game? Rubbish.

did you read the second sentence??

[gotitans101_]

did you read the second sentence??

"We probably could have got some more". Are you serious? Probably?

- - - Updated - - -

Sorry mate but I think the officiating in that game was a lot worse than you seem to be making it out to be. Don't get me wrong, we were bad, very bad. But it doesn't help your cohesion when you're constantly getting ****ed (13 penalties) by referees and the other team isn't.

[BundyTitan]

One thing I noticed too is that we have no idea whatsoever on how to wrestle and control an attacker. Every week in defence, the other team finds their front and gets a quick play the ball which puts us on the back foot. Need to get a couple in tackles, wrap the ball up and use the elbows as leverage to get them on their back. It’s something taught in bloody junior footy.

[DIEHARD]

Match Highlights: Titans v Rabbitohs - Round 14, 2018

[DIEHARD]

Match Report
https://www.titans.com.au/

An unlikely double to captain Ryan James was not enough to stop the TFH Titans from suffering an 18-16 loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Cbus Super Stadium tonight.

In a scrappy affair, the Titans were unable to get any real momentum throughout the contest and were on the wrong end of a 13-4 penalty count with Keegan Hipgrave spending two stints in the sin-bin and utility forwards Max King and Moeaki Fotuaiki both succumbing to injuries.

On the back of James first try, the home-side managed to go into the half-time break locked up at 10-all but a poor start to the second half saw the Titans trail 18-10 going into the final stanza.

With the game hanging in the balance, the inspirational James stepped up to put the Titans back in the contest by barging over for his second try in the 60th minute to reduce the margin back to 18-16 and ensure for an exciting finish for the 11,833 strong crowd.

But the Titans were unable to break through the Titans the resolute Rabbitohs defence and were forced to settle for their eighth loss of the season.

The Titans opened the scoring in the fourth minute with Phillip Sami cleaning up the scraps of an Ash Taylor cross-field kick to give the side an early 4-0 lead.

The Titans appeared to have extended their lead in the ninth minute when both Keegan Hipgrave and Dale Copley contested for an AJ Brimson grubber kick, but with neither able to plant the ball down they were denied the try and the Rabbitohs received a 20 metre restart.

From the resulting set, the Rabbitohs marched down the field and Sam Burgess, playing in his 150th appearance, got across the line only to be denied by the bunker with his brother George taking out a defender in the lead-up.

But there was no stopping the Rabbitohs in the 12th minute with a classy backline play resulting in Adam Douehi stepping through the defence to score under the posts to give Adam Reynolds an easy conversion and the away-side a slim 6-4 lead.

The Rabbitohs were denied by the bunker in the 17th minute with hooker Robbie Farah knocking the ball on as he darted across the line from dummy-half. Despite the no-try it was still bad news for the Titans with Hipgrave sin-binned for repeated infringements after being ruled to be in an offside position when making the try-saving tackle.

With the extra man and a full set up their sleeves, the Rabbitohs capitalised with Cody Walker showing great speed to slice his way through the defensive line to score out-wide and extend the lead out to 10-4.

The Titans hit-back in the 32nd minute through skipper Ryan James who barged his way across the line carrying three defenders before planting the ball down next to the posts. With Michael Gordon adding the extras the Titans levelled the scores up at 10-allgoing into the half-time break.

It was a frantic start to the half for the Rabbitohs with a Farah break piggy-backing them up the field before being gifted a penalty in-front of the posts and opting to take the kick at goal to extend their lead out to 12-10 after 43 minutes.

The Titans were dealt another blow in the following set with Hipgrave being sent for a second stint in the sin-bin on the back of repeated penalties.

The Rabbitohs utilised their extra man to create an overlap on the right edge to extend their lead through Alex Johnston who supported well to grab a Campbell Graham offload and score adjacent to the posts. With Reynolds converting, the Rabbitohs shot out to an 18-10 lead with just over 30 minutes remaining.

The Titans looked to have hit-back in the 53rd minute when Sami collected a deft Taylor kick but the winger's right hand touched the dead-ball line in the process of planting the ball down.

In the resulting set the Titans lost utility forward Moeaki Fotuaika to the HIA following a heavy collision in attempting to make a tackle on Robert Jennings.

Some great defence by the Titans to force Reynolds into touch coming out of trouble put them on the attack and they took full advantage with James charging close to the line again to force his way across and bag his second try of the night. Gordon converted to reduce the deficit back to 18-16 with 18 minutes remaining.

The Titans had several opportunities to cross the stripe and regain the lead but were unable to get across the line.

The Titans will look to get back in the winner's circle when they take on the Canterbury Bulldogs at Belmore next Saturday.

South Sydney Rabbitohs 18 (A Douehi . C Walker, A Johnston tries; A Reynolds 3 goals) defeated Gold Coast Titans 16 (R James 2, P Sami, tries; M Gordon 2 goals)

[Titanic]

You can only control what you can control and so all issues of poor refs aside, Sami bombed one and Hipgrave/Copley bombed another, end of section.

[Mr Bods]

One thing that frustrates me at times is how placid Titans fans are, in fact Gold Coast sports fans in general because I go to everything pretty much.
I really was happy to see genuine seething anger directed at the Referees at Fulltime.

[Mr Bods]

They're showing Hipgrave on 9 in the change rooms. Looks absolutely shattered. Maybe he learns from this.

I don’t think this Bird 2.0 is any good for him.
Bird was a freakish footy player who it needs to be said was shockingly used by Cartwright when he played him as a 2nd rower, he should have been Lock and Harrison should have been found another role to play.
Just a tragic Coach was Cartwright.

Hipgrave just needs to learn to be Hipgrave 1.0

[Mexican titan]

That was one of the most frustrating nights I have ever spent at an NRL match. A why do I bother type of game. Why do I bother with this game after the way the ref killed that game and why do I bother with this club.
I'll not go heavy on the coach yet but I really wonder about some of what went on tonight. We had basically no attack and it was like the Carty days with 5 hit ups and a kick. No way do I want Elgey back in the team but can't Brimson take some pressure off Taylor. Opposition know to hammer Taylor on the 5th as he gets the ball just about every time and ends up putting an average bomb. So effing predictable.
As for Hipgrave, it's all been said above but he is one dumb footy player. The second sin bin followed the most blatant strip you have ever seen.
Souths had massive changes, made heaps of errors and we still couldn't knock them off. I thought that ref had some potential but he is sin bin happy and just zeroes in on one side, even though if we controlled the ball for a while we wouldn't be giving defensive penalties away.
Sorry for this ramble but I am mightily p1ssed off. We just never seem to be getting anywhere and the crowd apathy is just reflective of the club.

[mdrew]

I fear for the future of our club. Why would the NRL even try to give us a fair go when we accept what happened tonight and not demand accountability from every one concerned

I travelled a long way for tonight's match due to work commitments, not sure that I would do that again even taking into account I am a member not much left to give to the club any more. I am just worn out from constantly getting a kick in the guts,

We may have only lost by two points but it feels far worse than that.

Oh well back to watching junior rugby league tomorrow.

[gotitans101_]

The only thing that will save this club is Craig Bellamy.

But he's re-signing with Melbourne.

[Dobes]

The only thing that will save this club is Craig Bellamy.

But he's re-signing with Melbourne.

I don’t reckon Garth’s the problem as such. I know it was at state level, but we’ve seen what he can so with a half decent squad. It’s most certainly our players to blame. I agree with everyone else about Hipgrave. He’s got heart but not the brains. I’d rather let him go and get somebody else. Sami did well other than that drop ball. This season is gone if it wasn’t already.

2019 here we come!

[GCTTSD]

AJ is definitely a fullback, I'd have elgey back in the team to see if he's worth re signing, or Lok for an experienced half to help ash, maybe play AJ of the bench or let him development as a FB in q cup