Round 1: Gold Coast Titans vs St George-Illawarra Dragons

[mb63]

Dragons 18
Titans 14

[DeeGan]

Squad being posted on first page ion two minutes.

Titans Media release:

Tough calls for Cartwright as the Jetstar Gold Coast Titans announce their inaugural team!


Who to leave out - loomed as the biggest dilemma for Jetstar Gold Coast Titans coach John Cartwright when selecting his starting seventeen plus two emergency reserves for Sunday?s NRL season opener against St George Illawarra at Suncorp Stadium.



With a squad of twenty eight to choose from and a summer of solid training including trial wins against Parramatta and Penrith behind them, there are many players who will consider themselves unlucky to be watching the season opening blockbuster from the sidelines.



The squad named is testament to the skill and versatility of the Gold Coast Titans players and the fierce internal competition among squad members for a place in the history making team.



John Cartwright said, ?I have picked the side based on preparation and performance during our trial games, however with most players seeing only limited time on the field, there were certainly some very tough calls to be made..?



?At the end of the day I have named a very strong team that I believe can get the job done for us on Sunday and having a surplus of quality players to choose from isn?t a bad problem to have from a coaching point of view,? said Cartwright.



The Jetstar Gold Coast Titans squad to play St George Illawarra



1. Preston Campbell

2. Lelea Paea

3. Mat Rogers

4. Jake Webster

5. Chris Walker

6. Matt Hilder

7. Scott Prince ?

8. Luke Bailey?

9. Clint Amos

10. Kris Kahler

11. Anthony Laffranchi

12. Gavin Cooper

13. Luke Swain

14. Michael Henderson

15. James Stosic

16. Mark Minichiello

17. Josh Graham

18. Brett Delaney

19. Nathan Friend Note 2 players to be omitted



Coach John Cartwright will be available for comment on the team and the sides preparation for Sundays match at the Jetstar Gold Coast Titans head office from 1.00pm today Tuesday March 13th.

[Kingytek]

Awesome....Apart from Preston with the number 1 I'm happy

[patskE]

yeh ture mmmm i rkn the swap during the game but
sloting in walker at fb, webster on wing then delaney or graham will come on n presto to hooker

[grunta]

Titans 18 Dragons 6

[Queenslander]

Campbell handed key Titans role

March 13, 2007

GOLD Coast utility Preston Campbell has won the contentious fullback role for the Titans' historic NRL season-opener with St George Illawarra at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

It was thought Campbell would come off the bench and rotate with hooker Clint Amos, but former Melbourne rake Nathan Friend could make a surprise comeback from a shoulder injury after being named in a 19-man squad this morning.

Former Penrith five-eighth Campbell has swapped between fullback and hooker during pre-season trial wins over Parramatta and Penrith.

He was locked in a battle for the No.1 jersey with former Queensland Origin flyer Chris Walker and England's Richie Mathers.

As expected, coach John Cartwright named Anthony Laffranchi in the team, despite the ex-Wests Tigers backrower being charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Sydney last year.

And, fresh from finalising a one-year deal with the Titans, Walker will play on the wing against the Dragons and is likely to be the team's No.1 goalkicker ahead of Campbell.

Internationals Mat Rogers and Jake Webster form the centres pairing.

Former Canberra prop Kris Kahler's excellent pre-season form has forced young gun Michael Henderson to the bench.

Rugby convert Josh Graham is another player to impress Cartwright, and is expected to claim the interchange utility role ahead of former Parramatta centre Brett Delaney.

"I have picked the side based on preparation and performance during our trial games," he said.

"However, with most players seeing only limited time on the field, there were certainly some very tough calls to be made.

"I have named a very strong team that I believe can get the job done for us on Sunday, and having a surplus of quality players to choose from isn't a bad problem to have from a coaching point of view."

AAP

[jenny]

Titans 26
Dragons 16

[Hindyscrack]

Friend at 19? One of Melbournes best in 2006... What's happened to him?

[Dakink]

As much as it hurts,

Titans 26 - Dragons 10

[Steve]

Friend at 19? One of Melbournes best in 2006... What's happened to him?

I think he's been injured and hasn't played yet? Probably waiting to see if he comes good.

[dan the man]

i think this lineup cannot be right.. u would think walker would be @ fullback and that hilder on the bench and preston in the halves.... it is a shame delaney does not get a run in the centres ...he signs to be a permanent centre and then matt rogers comes and well you have to accommodate a player like that!

[rolande]

why the hell isn't Campbell at 5/8th. Either him or David Myles, he was an integral part of the Cowboys making the finals and upsetting eventual premiers The Bulldogs in 2004.

[Dakink]

I personally dont like Campbell as a traditional 5\8. I dontm mind him wearing the 6 but we then need to hide him in defence. This allows him the freedom to bob up anywhere inattack as he has shown he is most dangerous when injecting himself.

[mr jemo]

id like to see it maybe in a trial next year

[Steve]

I'm willing to wait and see how the team goes. I doubt this will be the final lineup for the year. Trials have helped, but full games with limited interchange, and the players not swapping positions constantly will give a true idea of how they'll go.

It's still a strong team, and the main reason some players are in positions some people wouldn't like is because of too much talent. I'll take that over trying desperately to field a team.