Titans positional changes

[Chaos]

We need a creative player at 5/8
Somebody who can set up his outside backs and put them in open space
Somebody Prince can communicate with.
Hilder isn't our 5/8...is Preston the man for the job?

Dummy Half
If Friend can play 80 mins of football...why not start him in dummy half?
Titans are a different team once he comes on. He keeps the defence in two mind and makes the right decision more often then Clint Amos.

Wingers
Walker and Peterson can both find the line with half a chance...they are my two picks. Peterson plays with intensity and Walker is elusive.

Back row
So far I prefer Josh Graham over Luke Swain

Where are James Stosic, Brad Myers and Richi Mathers?

[Capital_Shark]

Presto went well when he seemed to come into a halves sort of role and put in good kicks. After all, he is a Dally M halfback and premiership winning 5/8.

In saying that I think Hilder had much more impact this week compared to last.

Petersen is no Walker but still a decent finisher.

Amos goes good, Friend goes better. Don't give up on Amos thought I reckon he shows a lot of potential.

Stosic was injured apparently.

[Steelers]

I think Preston needs to be taken out of the fullback position. Teams will continue to target him, like they have done so far, and it will cost the Titans. Lelea Paea isn't quite ready for FG yet IMO. Hasn't really made much of an impact yet, and has made a couple of blatant mistakes. He will have a few weeks though to prove his worth while Walker is on the sideline. Nathan Friend needs more game time. He is the one who sparks up the team, along with Princey.

[DeeGan]

The question is: will Carty change a winning side? You will find very few coaches won't unless forced too through injury. If we name the same 17 next week, I ain't complaining.

Though to answer questions to a very good thread ...

Who should be our five-eight?

IMO it has always been Preston Campbell. I think he will play more football there than any other position before the season is done.

I think Preston is in the number one at the moment until Richie Mathers is ready. Mathers was due to return from the bench last week in QLD Cup with Burleigh.

Preston improved on last week's effort from fullback though he still gives me butterflies in the stomach when a ball heads his way in the air. In saying that, he makes up for that with the BRILLIANCE he adds in attack.

The first try to the Sharks wasn't too good - as Carty said though, "nine times out of ten that ball goes out". Preston more than made up for it in scoring the match winner.

Dummy half?

Well Amos and Friend are a great one-two combo. I think Friend should start personally though I would keep Amos in the 17. They both add plenty of spark, Friend's play overshadowed Amos tonight though he Clint was good when on the field.

Wingers?

Well Chris Walker is a certainty (let's hope he is back soon) and on the other wing I would have Jake Webster - that's where he plays his best football. Jake, like Lote in the other code, looks a little lost when playing centre. Put him on the wing where his only job is to score tries and help out his forwards - he can be used much like we did Marcus Bai when he was a Charger.

Josh Graham looked good when on the field and I wouldn't mind seeing him start at right centre to be honest inside Webster.

Let's enjoy the win!

[DeeGan]

Stosic had a foot injury - I have no time on when he will be back. I would expect Rd 3.

[Steve]

I don't see much wrong with the team. Things are still a bit scrappy, but it's round two, everyone is scrappy.
Preston has done very little wrong at fullback. Let them target him, it's not a problem and the more he settles in the better he'll do, both defensively and offensively.
Hilder is good defensively and would probably make a good utility player, but he certainly hasn't done much wrong. Do we really need a creative 5/8? Preston comes into the attack and once Rogers is a bit more settled he should start creating aswell. Two halfbacks isn't the only option for a team, and I imagine Cartwright has his reasons for playing Hilder there.
I don't mind Webster in the centres, he was looking dangerous when combining with Walker in game 1.
I'm undecided about the two hookers. Seems to be working well enough for now.
Petersen seems to be going well. With him, Rogers, Webster and Walker back from injury, there should be plenty of options out wide.

[DeeGan]

I don't see much wrong with the team. Things are still a bit scrappy, but it's round two, everyone is scrappy.
Preston has done very little wrong at fullback. Let them target him, it's not a problem and the more he settles in the better he'll do, both defensively and offensively.
Hilder is good defensively and would probably make a good utility player, but he certainly hasn't done much wrong. Do we really need a creative 5/8? Preston comes into the attack and once Rogers is a bit more settled he should start creating aswell. Two halfbacks isn't the only option for a team, and I imagine Cartwright has his reasons for playing Hilder there.
I don't mind Webster in the centres, he was looking dangerous when combining with Walker in game 1.
I'm undecided about the two hookers. Seems to be working well enough for now.
Petersen seems to be going well. With him, Rogers, Webster and Walker back from injury, there should be plenty of options out wide.

Exactly - a winning team is hard to change and we do need to keep in mind this is only round two. We are fairing a little better than some of the more fancied teams in this competition, even Brisbane.

Hilder has been "solid". He deserves to be in the 17 this season (I knew little about him coming in to the pre-season admittedly) though I don't think at 6. He is doing his job, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind him as a ball playing lock or coming off the bench filling a role similar to that of a Dean Widders or a Michael Crocker.

[TITAN PETE]

I agree with Deegan & i don't think Carty would be keen on any team changes when your team is winning but i think that Webster & Rogers didn't work as well as hoped tonight & they were found out through 2 tries.
Time will tell as to what if any changes are made but i beleive Friend has to start the match & i would find a spot in the 17 for Smith Samau he has rock solid defence :box: & can play almost anywhere on the park.

[patskE]

isnt mathers back next week?
slot him in fullback n presto 5/8
and tbh we are a different team when friend is on the field
rogers didnt offer any attack flare
move hilder to bench drop amos for friend to play full 80

[patskE]

but tbh we won y change, only thing i would do it slot mathers in if he fits, n move presto to 5/8 where he gets ball more

[bruski]

I was thinking about this last night also, I think Hilder is a bit underestimated. He really does a lot of work in defence which is very important. We have prince running riot at the moment so the combo is working well at the moment.

He gave of some good ball last night so I can see no problem with him at 5/8.

I also think that Swain is the best 13 but also think that Meyers should slot in to second row when ready. Josh is good on the bench at the moment.

Nathan Friend was in my opinion the man of the match, he really controlled the ruck area and set up a lot of play's.

Preston at fullback, well he can cause a few worries to us when there is a high ball but every time he gets the ball from the back it looks as though something could happen.

I think the other thing that has got us through so far is our fitness, we have come from behind in all of our games so far and we end up finishing with a wet sail, this is really enhanced with presto, friend and prince working the ruck and either supporting the ball carrier and or offloading at the right moment.

Really at this point we have a really good mix.

[Casey's Angel27]

Why isnt Friendy starting?

I thoght that he moved from Melbourne back to Gold Coast because it gave him a better chance of being in the starting 13 and not sitting on the bench as much.

I have nothing against Clint Amos. but i think Nathan would suit better in starting the match.

And im extremely annoyed because 10 minutes into the game, mum stole the remote control and made me watch biggest loser and some other crap so i missed the whole game :angry:

[TITAN FOREVER]

What game were you guys watching?? Hilder was solid at 5/8 had a great little kicking game which he chipped and chased which led to line drop out then Presto scored winning try. Remember his still learning we have heaps of attacking players we need him for defence through the middle. Rogers stilll getting back into it too, looks good to me. Presto has plenty of attacking flare at fullback and doesn't get belted around the rucks. Presto also has the luxury of another award of being the most missed tackles in the NRL last season. Mainly because the big forwards would run at him all the time. Carty seems to covering this side of his game!

[Darren Lockyer]

This would be my team with all players fit
1. Matt Rogers
2. Matt Peterson
3. Josh Graham
4. Jake Webster
5. Chris Walker
6. Preston Campbell
7. Scott Prince
8. Luke Bailey
9.) Nathan Friend
10. James Stosic
11. Anthony Laffranchi
12. Gavin Cooper
13. Matt Hilder

Interchange
14. Michael Henderson
15. Kris Kahler
16. Mark Minicello
17. Clint Amos

[Chaos]

I was thinking about this last night also, I think Hilder is a bit underestimated. He really does a lot of work in defence which is very important. We have prince running riot at the moment so the combo is working well at the moment.

Hilder might be underestimated and might be good in defence but the 5/8 is a very important position if you want your outside backs to shine.
Not once did Hilder put Rogers in an attacking potision and I just havn't seen his decision making or his ball playing skills to suggest he will set his outside backs in the future.

I think alot of coaches have made poor decisions at the 5/8 role in the last 5 years. Too many solid second row types playing in there. A coach playing safe to hold his job wont win a Grandfinal and those coaches made the mistake of playing safe.
I know some of you will say it's our first season and our goal isn't to win the grandfinal...Those people have never one a grand final.

The Grandfinal winning teams had creative players like Lockyer, Marshall, Campbell, Fitler, Johns
They all set up there outside man.

Take your mind back to the year Tigers won the grandfinal...Prince and Farrow were creating so much room for Marshall...he couldn't help but play well.
Prince and friend will do it this year...our backs need to finish it off.