Round 18: TITANS vs BRONCOS (2022)

[JunctionBlock]

Turner at 17 is a surprise, I wonder what the hooker rotation will be.

[GCTTSD]

Jojo centre marzhew wing

I agree about Herbert I'd even consider marzhew at centre but I didnt see how he played there at q cup but Probably best to ease JoJo in off the wing since that's where he's been playing in q cup

[Upthetits]

Turner at 17 is a surprise, I wonder what the hooker rotation will be.

Yea I'm trying to figure that out also.

If Clarke was playing hooker you'd imagine he would start then bring booth on after 25 or so mins for tino and push Clarke to lock.

Surely Boyd won't be pushed into hooker and Turner to 5'8?

Surely Turner won't come on into hooker

Does this mean booth will play 80?

If Clarke is meant to play hooker and will come on for booth then I'm seriously confused as to what Holbrook thought process is

[Titanic]

Agree with all comments above that refer to some sort of confusion. I'm not going to be too critical but how Thompson gets a gig over Marzhew is just beyond me. Our bench surely is Clarke as a middle forward (because he is better option than the neanderthals we have had there) but not as a hooker (except as coverage). Anyway, happy for Jojo and Booth who get a start. Sexton must be THE luckiest dude on the planet.

[jacksonm]

Agree with all comments above that refer to some sort of confusion. I'm not going to be too critical but how Thompson gets a gig over Marzhew is just beyond me. Our bench surely is Clarke as a middle forward (because he is better option than the neanderthals we have had there) but not as a hooker (except as coverage). Anyway, happy for Jojo and Booth who get a start. Sexton must be THE luckiest dude on the planet.

Gotta be patient with Sexton, he will be a good half in coming years

[RavShamrock]

I would be a lot more enthusiastic if an interim coach would have been installed...probably give us more of a chance TBH.

[gotitans101_]

No Marzhew.

[JunctionBlock]

No Marzhew.

But defensively we are better for it, but coming out of our own 10 we will pay for it. We don't seem to have the all in one package.

[DIEHARD]

There is a lot for me to like with these selections.

1. AJ Brimson 2. Sosefo Fifita 3. Phillip Sami 4. Patrick Herbert 5. Corey Thompson 6. Tanah Boyd 7. Toby Sexton 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Aaron Booth 10. Isaac Liu 11. David Fifita 12. Beau Fermor 13. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui

14. Erin Clark 15. Jaimin Jolliffe 16. Herman Ese'ese 17. Paul Turner

Happy to see Booth finally given a go at hooker. We have been baying for that.

Marzhew gets dropped again and that puzzles me. Sure he isn't the best defender but he offers us big metres, energy and power in attack. As a big fan of Thompson, I'm pleased to see him return and I hope he can regain some form as he plays for a contract. He won't die wondering.

Finally, Sami is back.

I'm excited to see JoJo debut. A real talent. He is young but he can handle it on the wing. He'll be tested.

Happy to see Proctor wasn't selected but there was a real threat of it. And Isaako and Wallace dropped.

Not sure what is going on with #6 with Boyd and Turner, throw in Booth and we will see some movement between those positions.

Pleased with debuts for Booth, and JoJo was a surprise bonus for me.

[DIEHARD]

Here is the Broncos team

1. Tesi Niu 2. Delouise Hoeter 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Brenko Lee 5. Jordan Pereira 6. Ezra Mam 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Keenan Palasia 9. Billy Walters 10. Ryan James 11. Zac Hosking 12. Jordan Riki 13. Kobe Hetherington

14. Jake Turpin 15. Rhys Kennedy 16. Thomas Flegler 17. Tyson Gamble

18. Deine Mariner 19. Brendan Piakura 20. Corey Jensen 21. Tyrone Roberts 22. Logan Bayliss-Brow 23. Corey Oates 24. Patrick Carrigan

Changes Oates and Carrigan are named to back up, but Kurt Capewel and Selwyn Cobbo are not. Cory Paix (head knock) is out. Turpin joins the bench.

Changes Oates and Carrigan are named to back up, but Kurt Capewel and Selwyn Cobbo are not. Cory Paix (head knock) is out. Turpin joins the bench.

[DIEHARD]

Backs do battle: Flying Phil returns to take down Staggs
https://www.titans.com.au/news/2022/...e-down-staggs/

It’s been a long eight weeks out of the game, but Phil Sami is back and ready to face off against Broncos speedster Kotoni Staggs in this Saturday's Macca's Local Derby.

The Titans flyer has played a pivotal role in the seven games he's appeared in this year, succumbing to injury in two of those, which has led to two stints on the sidelines recovering from the PCL injury sustained.

But back to 100 percent fitness for the highly-anticipated clash, the 24-year-old is ready to wreak havoc on the Brisbane centre who will have a point to prove after being snubbed from the final two Origin games of the season.

The Gold Coast back has scored five tries this season, as well as being a handful in defence, averaging 136 running metres and four tackle breaks a game.

For Staggs, the Brisbane dynamo has also scored five tries in 15 appearances, with two try-assists and 10 tackle breaks.

The New South Wales centre has also already graced his presence at Cbus Super Stadium, scoring a four-pointer in the pre-season trial match between the two rivals, that ended in a 26-26 draw.

Whilst the Gold Coast back didn't star in that contest, nor the earlier Round 12 NRL clash at Suncorp, it's no secret Sami loves local derbies... scoring a hat-trick in his first clash against the Broncos in 2018, he'll be hoping to replicate the same success when he takes to the field.

The battle between Sami and Stags is just one of the many that makes Saturday night's clash such a blockbuster in one of the biggest games of the year for the Titans... who will come out on top after 80 hard-fought minutes?

Be there for the next instalment as the rivalry re-ignites at Cbus Super Stadium this Saturday, July 16. Secure your seat today!

[DIEHARD]

'Worth the challenge': Rugby-convert Fifita ready for NRL
https://www.titans.com.au/news/2022/...ready-for-nrl/

It was a hot summer night when Jojo Fifita burst onto the scene as a prospective Titan with a bright future.

Winning the battle against Kotoni Staggs in the early pre-season trial in February, it's only fitting the 19-year-old gets another crack against the Broncos on Saturday night, but this time for real, set to become cap #173 and make his NRL debut in the local derby at Cbus Super Stadium.

In his first hit out in Gold Coast colours, the star rugby-convert ran for 117 metres and notched up a try assist and a line break assist in the outing, putting his name up in lights and becoming a player scribed in everyone's black book as one to watch as the season progressed.

Starting the year for Tweed, the son of former Tongan rugby star Pila Fifita piled on the points in the opening rounds of the Hostplus Cup and quickly found himself on coach Justin Holbrook's radar.

A call-up into Queensland's Under 19 side allowed the Coast junior to spend the week in camp and continue learning in the elite level environment, before getting the magical call on Monday to say he was destined to fulfil his NRL dream.

But it almost wasn't to be for the New Zealand-born young gun, who many thought was destined to follow in his father's footsteps after playing rugby his whole life and attending The Southport School which dominates in the sport they claim to play in heaven.

"I grew up playing rugby union my whole life. I think I started when I was in Japan when I was four years old and I'm pretty sure it was tackle as well... there was no touch back then," Fifita reminisced.

"I moved around a bit and still played rugby union when I was school at TSS.

"But straight out of school in my first year, I signed with the Titans and trained with them. It was a bit different, but I got used to it.

"It was definitely a big change I reckon, but it was worth the challenge."

A sprint champion in his early years and even scoring four tries in front of Wallabies coach Dave Rennie when at school, there was one deciding factor when it came to why Fifita opted to sign on the dotted line for the Titans... family.

"It all comes back to family because the Titans is pretty close to home - it's only 15 minutes down the road and I didn't want to risk moving away and then getting homesick or something like that and then not performing well," Fifita shared.

"I'd rather just stay here at this point with my family and friends and then perform the best I can with the familiar environment."

Knowing he's had to work extraordinarily hard to adjust to the unique differences and nuances of rugby league as opposed to rugby union, the extensive pre-season at full fitness has filled the youngster with plenty of confidence as he prepares for his first crack on the big stage.

"I was a bit nervous at the start (of the year), but I think after one or two games, I was definitely getting better," Fifita said.

"Once I got to know the boys (at Tweed) a lot more, it was so much better because I didn't get to train with them because I was training here and then maybe only joining them for the captain's run.

"It was definitely tough, especially when you don't know the boys first off, but I'm pretty good with them now and I'm definitely feeling more confident in my game.

"I spent the whole pre-season this year actually training instead of being in the corner doing rehab and fitness (unlike last year when recovering from a shoulder injury).

"I think that pre-season has really helped me to have an alright start this year and I feel a lot better than I was last year."

As the teen sensation approaches his first official clash in the NRL, the person he'll draw the most motivation from will be his father - who was once in the same situation he is in today.

“Dad has been a huge inspiration," Fifita shared in a recent sit-down with Joel Gould.

"His best advice has been to keep doing all the little one-percenters that other people don’t know about.

"Even when they don’t know you are doing it, the key is to keep doing it yourself.”

[DIEHARD]

Titans v Broncos: Fifita to debut; Cobbo, Capewell rested
https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/07/11/...aix-monitored/

The Broncos have all but assured themselves of a finals berth for the first time in three years and could even climb into the top four this weekend with a big win.

Kevin Walters' men took care of business against the Dragons without a host of big names including Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan, emphasising yet again how far they have come in 2022.

The Titans, meanwhile, sit dangerously close to the bottom of the ladder, with a second wooden spoon in four years a real possibility unless they can arrest a six-game losing streak this weekend and find a few more victories in the run home.

Two of their three wins this season have come at Cbus Super Stadium so they'll be hoping for a some vocal home support to help them get back avenge a 35-24 loss to Brisbane in round 12.

The Rundown

Titans: Skipper Tino Fa'asuamaleaui will look to back up three days after Origin while Phil Sami (knee) and Corey Thompson (knee) return to strengthen a backline which also includes teenager Sosefo Fifita on NRL debut the wing. Tanah Boyd is the new five-eighth and Paul Turner goes to the bench. Aaron Booth will start at hooker with Erin Clark on the bench.

Jarrod Wallace is out and Jaimin Jolliffe joins the bench while Kevin Proctor (biceps) is listed among the reserves as he nears a return.

Gun fullback Jayden Campbell is still a couple of weeks away with a hamstring injury.

Broncos: Origin reps Corey Oates and Pat Carrigan have been named among the reserves and may come into the squad later in the week but Selwyn Cobbo, and Kurt Capewell will be rested. Cory Paix will miss the match after suffering a head knock against the Dragons and his place on the bench is taken by Jake Turpin. The Broncos do get Thomas Flegler back on the bench after he was part of the extended Maroons squad. Payne Haas is expected to miss another week with shoulder problems.

Match: Titans v Broncos
ROUND 18 - SATURDAY 16TH JULY

Match Officials
Referee: Chris Sutton
Senior Review Official: Kasey Badger
Last updated: 09:04 am Wednesday 13th July 2022

Key match-up
Toby Sexton vs Adam Reynolds: The master and the apprentice square off in an intriguing playmaking showdown. With 12 try assists, six line break assists and seven forced dropouts to his name, Reynolds is enjoying a fine season at Red Hill, turning around the club's fortunes with his presence and poise. Sexton is just 20 games into his career but looks to have the makings of a very fine No.7, with a classy short kicking game and good vision. After winning three of his four games in 2021 he has won just three more this season, and that's a stat he'll be desperate to turn around as the Titans look to finish a tough year on a high.

Stat Attack
The Titans have scored 46 tries in 16 matches this season at a tick under three per game. Broncos strike weapons Corey Oates (14), Selwyn Cobbo (12) and Herbie Farnworth (9) have racked up 35 between them.

[Boonarga]

Honest question because I haven’t followed the news. Was Wallace dropped? Surely he got a few weeks suspension for that disgusting ‘tackle’?

[Just-a-Fan]

WALLACE GOT 3 OR 4 WEEKS
Great to see we finally get a hooker you watch his service from dummy half
am surprise Tuner goes to the bench and Boyd comes in I would done that when Turner first came into the side
Clark on bench no really surprise can come on for Booth when he becomes tired or can play lock if Tino needs a rest after Origin
JoJo I hope plays outside Herbert but wont for sure Sami needs to be on the wing not a centre in my books does ok but loses to much when playing there
Ct I do not understand has offered nothing this year and we drop Marzhew I know he not got a good tackle in him but need his meters
oh well Go TITANs