Round 13: TITANS vs COWBOYS (2022)

[DIEHARD]

Really happy to hear that Sexton has come through ok.

[DIEHARD]

Titans extend Indigenous round into Qld Derby
https://www.titans.com.au/news/2022/...nto-qld-derby/

The Gold Coast Titans will extend Indigenous Round celebrations into their home game against the North Queensland Cowboys this Thursday night at Cbus Super Stadium.

Always a special round for rugby league and particularly the Gold Coast, the club wanted to ensure it was able to acknowledge the round at a home game in front of Titans Members and fans.

This years Indigenous jersey celebrates 15 years of the Titans and the contribution from the many Indigenous players that have worn and continue to wear the jersey.

Discover the story behind the jersey here.

Lead by the Titans foundation player and only Life Member in Preston Campbell, Thursday will extend on the NRL's celebrations last weekend, before the Titans and Cowboys clash on the field.

The club will once again wear the popular Indigenous jersey which features the 34 players to have played for the club, an acknowledgement to the first father son duo in Campbell and his son Jayden, along with a number of other stories reflecting on the past and looking to the future.

Be there Thursday night for the Queensland Derby as the Titans tackle the Cowboys at Cbus Super Stadium. TICKETS

[Titanic]

Another couple of weeks without Fifita :-(

[Titslover]

If the opposed photos are anything to go by (and they usually have been) Marsters is in the home jersey, meaning he is in the 17 again this week… How can he get picked again after letting in multiple tries and making what many people are calling the dumbest play of the season.

[JunctionBlock]

[Titslover]

Marsters on the bench is one of the most cooked things I've seen, especially when we have a hooker and 2 props, one of which can only play 15 minutes

[GCTTSD]

Marsters on the bench is one of the most cooked things I've seen, especially when we have a hooker and 2 props, one of which can only play 15 minutes

Yea I Know we lack depth in the forwards at the moment I think masters should drop back to q cup he hasn't impressed me since coming back in the team I'd have Clarke at 13 booth to 9 Liu at edge and Sam Mac on the bench

[gotitans101_]

Yea I Know we lack depth in the forwards at the moment I think masters should drop back to q cup he hasn't impressed me since coming back in the team I'd have Clarke at 13 booth to 9 Liu at edge and Sam Mac on the bench

Shuffling the deck chairs in the backs. Herbert was no better and neither has been Thompson.

I'm starting to think that whoever you put in this squad, collectively they're incapable of putting on 80-minute performances. I've said it before but the Knights are in a similar boat in that they've had decent squads over the years but always end up falling well short of where they need to be. It's as though mediocrity is ingrained into our cultures and no combination of coaching staff or players have been able to resolve it.

[DIEHARD]

Captains Run Gallery: Round 13
https://www.titans.com.au/news/2022/...lery-round-13/

[DIEHARD]

Titans v Cowboys: Tino, Fifita both out; Big four on Origin duty
https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/05/30/...in-duty-calls/

The Titans' season is fast slipping away but they get a chance to take down one of the competition heavyweights with a number of Cowboys missing on Origin duty.

North Queensland's flying start to 2022 has seen Val Holmes, Reuben Cotter, Jeremiah Nanai, Tom Dearden, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Murray Taulagi all rewarded with Maroons selection while Gold Coast are without big guns Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (Origin) and David Fifita (knee).

The Titans have lost seven of their past eight, including Friday's inexplicable fadeout against the Broncos in which they led 24-4 after 50 minutes before conceding five tries in 21 minutes to be blown off the park.

North Queensland are also coming off a loss but coach Todd Payten could take plenty of positives out of their gritty second-half performance against premiers Penrith and the players that come into his side will know exactly what's expected of them and the standards they need to live up to.

Team news

Titans: Skipper Tino Fa'asuamaleaui had 23 hit-ups for 271 metres against the Broncos so his absence on Origin duty will be sorely felt. David Fifita is also out after aggravating a knee injury against Brisbane in his first game back from three weeks on the sideline. Moeaki Fotuaika is back from an ankle injury at prop and Isaac Liu goes to lock to fill the hole left by Fa'asuamaleaui.

Patrick Herbert (calf) returns in the centres, pushing Esan Marsters to the bench. Halfback Toby Sexton and winger Jamayne Isaako suffered shoulder injuries have been named to play.

Cowboys: Jason Taumalolo's return from a knee injury is a massive boost with Val Holmes, Reuben Cotter, Tom Dearden and Jeremiah Nanai on Maroons duty. Murray Taulagi and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow also made Billy Slater's 22-man Queensland squad for Origin One but they have been released to play for the Cowboys. Tabuai-Fidow moves to the centres to take Holmes' place, Brendan Elliot comes in on the wing and Ben Hampton is the new five-eighth.

Coen Hess moves from lock to prop, Heilum Luki goes into the starting side in the second row and Connelly Lemuelu joins the bench.

Key match-up
Toby Sexton v Chad Townsend: The rising star takes on the seasoned veteran in an intriguing battle of skill and will. At 21 and 16 games into his NRL career, Sexton has hit a flat spot as his team's fortunes have slumped but he has still come up with six try assists and 18 forced dropouts this season. At 31 and with 204 games and a premiership to his name, Townsend has staked his claim for buy of the year honours with a string of high-quality performances as the Cowboys have climbed to third on the ladder.

Stat Attack
The Cowboys boast the second best defence in the NRL behind Penrith, conceding just 153 points at 12.75 per game. The Titans have the second worst defence, giving up 300 points at an average of 25 per match. In the past four weeks the Titans have let in 120 points at 30 per match.

[DIEHARD]

'Mr Versatile' Liu proving his worth on the Coast
https://www.titans.com.au/news/2022/...-on-the-coast/

Approaching Round 13, Gold Coast Titans forward Isaac Liu has certainly been the club's Mr Versatile in the first half of the competition.

Starting the year in the front row, before injuries saw the 214-game veteran do an able job in the back-row, the 31-year-old is now set to wear the No. 13 jersey to capably fill a void left by inspirational captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui who is away on Origin duties.

"He's a very passionate man, and it's going be a good challenge for us not having them there as forwards. But we've got plenty of forwards who will step up and lead the way there," Liu said.

"We've got to keep playing our footy, keep backing each other and keep working hard."

Despite the Cowboys missing four of their top line stars to Maroons camp, Liu knows the contest will still be a big challenge at home despite the opposition being understrength.

"It's going to be a physical game and we're looking to improve on what we did last week, but we'll also take a bit of confidence from it as well," Liu said.

"We can't underestimate any other team. It doesn't matter who they bring in, they'll be ready to come.

"We just have to turn up and execute our plays in our the way we want to play so whoever's out there, we'll make sure we play to win."

The powerful forward is also looking forward to having Moeaki Fotuaika back from injury with plenty to prove after unfortunately missing out on Queensland selection.

"It's great to have Moey back. Unfortunately he didn't get picked, but he runs hard and tackles hard and it's great to have him back in the side," Liu said.

"He'll help create that momentum with our forwards, so it'll be exciting."

[DIEHARD]

[Titslover]

Wtf is Holbrook actually thinking with his bench selection. A centre, a hooker, a 10-15 minute prop and a workhorse prop. Watch us be winning at halftime and then the middles get gassed and we do our usual fade.

[The Birdman]

We've got absolutely no creativity inside the opposition 20. Our only spark is long range JC and AJ runs.

Cowboys making insane metres coming off repeat sets. Our middle defense is atrocious

[NZFan]

Well done Toby. This piss poor attack all starts at dummy half. So much pressure on the halves.