Newcastle Knights v Gold Coast Titans, Saturday 3pm at McDonald Jones Stadium
Knights: 1 Nick Meaney, 2 Ken Sio, 3 Cory Denniss, 4 Shaun Kenny-Dowall, 5 Nathan Ross, 6 Connor Watson, 7 Mitchell Pearce (c), 8 Josh King, 9 Danny Levi, 10 Daniel Saifiti, 11 Aidan Guerra, 12 Mitch Barnett, 13 Herman Ese'ese
Interchange: 14 Jamie Buhrer (c), 15 Chris Heighington, 16 Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 17 Jacob Lillyman
Reserves: 18 Brent Naden, 19 Sam Stone, 20 Jack Cogger, 21 JJ Felise
Sione Mata'utia (concussion) is out, with Nathan Ross joining the backline and Lachlan Fitzgibbon returning from suspension on the bench.
Titans: 1 Michael Gordon, 2 Anthony Don, 3 Konrad Hurrell, 4 Brenko Lee, 5 Phillip Sami, 6 AJ Brimson, 7 Ashley Taylor, 8 Jarrod Wallace, 9 Nathan Peats, 10 Ryan James (c), 11 Kevin Proctor, 12 Keegan Hipgrave, 13 Jai Arrow
Interchange: 14 Mitch Rein, 15 Moeaki Fotuaika,16 Jack Stockwell, 17 Will Matthews
Reserves: 18 Leilani Latu, 19 Brendan Elliot, 20 Jai Whitbread, 21 Morgan Boyle
Jai Arrow and Keegan Hipgrave return, pushing Jarrod Wallace to prop, Moeaki Fotuaika and Will Matthews to the bench and Leilani Latu and Jai Whitbread to the reserves.
He has picked Matthews again. Latu, Whitbread and Boyle are behind Matthews in Brennan’s pecking order. Yep.
Elgey not in the 21 Bods, unless he's injured I'm guessing he's signed elsewhere and will be off this week.
Matthews has the goat pictures
Four reasons to escape to Queensland: Sun, Surf, Sand & the Titans.
I'd like him to stay just just much as you would Bods. Something just doesn't seem right though. Despite him playing the best footy he can for Tweed, and our halves looking arguably worse (as a whole) since he's been dropped, he seem's to be slipping further behind in the pecking order.
Also, Elliot named as well. Thought his release was meant to be immediate?
The things I do to not see Reins hopeless name included every week.. So frustrating.
I really thought after how Matthews played last week and how Latu actually had a bit of a dig last week we would see Latu in and Matthews out.
^^^ don’t know what happened at the start of the year but I’ve seen enough in the last two games to be convinced he is an impact bench front rower, I wouldn’t start him but off the bench he offers genuine game changing quality.
Matthews would be a handy Captain-Coach for the Currumbin Eagles
Yeah he seemed a bit off pace at the start of the year and was very sketchy in defence the first few rounds (he wasnt alone). I heard Greg Alexander wrapping Latu on commentary about the potential they saw in him at penrith. We have him for a few years and with the season over I think id be pulling the trigger on him to get him back up to first grade as an impact player off the bench. With Boyd here next year we should have a monster pack and Matthews sure as hell aint apart of our long term plans.
Last edited by 5 Year Contract; 17-07-18 at 05:06 PM.
We should win this. Surprised to see Matthews in the mix too. Hopefully drops out between now and Saturday.
Henderson the Goat for Cartwright, Wilbur the Horse Botherer for Henry and Matthews the Pipe Cleaner for Brennan ... they must be very damaging photos.
Four reasons to escape to Queensland: Sun, Surf, Sand & the Titans.
I think Latu showed enough last week to warrant selection on the bench again, not sure how Mathews gets the gig in front of him
Latu was good last week. would like to see something from him this last 7 weeks heading into post / pre season so we can count on him next year.
Mathews surprised at start of year, and looked very capable but has dropped to the standard we expect. he really shouldnt see much more time in FG.
next year rotation of James, Wallace, Boyd, Mofo seems pretty promising. If Latu gets it together he can be important as well.
i also think after watching James closely lately, being one of his biggest supports here, and I actually take claim to being the first to notice his transition from firebrand to workhorse 2 years ago when everyone at first thought he was just playing soft... so i know my Ryan James.... but i think with Arrow playing 80, Proctor playing 80, hopefully another second rower playing 80.... James needs a spell in matches again.
He has been a hero and done so much dirty work, but we need slightly more impact, and also a bit less of the slowness and lethargy that creeps in when he is buggered. Love him, but we need to help him by relieving some of the burden