Maybe he has another head knock on the weekend. So I think from memory if you have two head knock on a row you have to miss a week.
Maybe he has another head knock on the weekend. So I think from memory if you have two head knock on a row you have to miss a week.
#TitansThruNThru #WeAreReady
Not far off the money for mine.
I would say Matthews is riding the "playing the previous team" accolade but in saying that he might just have a blinder
The match preview on nrl.com https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/03/20/...und-3-preview/ mentions King being unavailable because of illness.
^^^ that’s pretty concerning given he has a Heart Condition.
Taylor to suit up for Titans in Toowoomba
https://www.nrl.com/
Gold Coast’s master playmaker Ash Taylor has vowed there is no way he will miss his homecoming match against the St George Illawarra Dragons at Toowoomba’s Clive Berghofer Stadium on Sunday.
However, if he did, a 19-year-old destined to play NRL before the end of the season could be in the reckoning to make a country-based debut.
The Titans competed admirably without Taylor’s class and end-of-set finesse in going down 20-8 to the Warriors last Saturday but coach Garth Brennan admitted it may have been a bit too much to ask Bryce Cartwright to fill the No. 6 role with little familiarity with his new teammates.
The coach took teenager Alexander (AJ) Brimson to Auckland with the 19-man squad but admitted it wasn’t the right time, place or opposition to blood the classy youngster.
Brimson was again named in the Titans’ 21-man preliminary squad today and although he’d give nothing away to unnecessarily pressure the kid, Brennan may be more likely to throw Brimson into the action this time – just as Kane Elgey was in round 4 in 2015 when injury forced Neil Henry’s hand.
“I was never going to rush AJ in against the Warriors,” said Brennan.
“A trip over to NZ in front of a big physical Warriors pack on a bit of a high … that wouldn’t have been fair to the kid.
“When he debuts, it will be the right decision. When that is I don’t know but we will keep working away with him and getting him ready and hopefully the time will come to give him a crack and it will be the right time.”
That time may remain supposition if Taylor’s determination is a gauge. Brennan says it was just a “hot spot” on a scan that determined Taylor missed the trip to Auckland and not a tear, and Taylor will do everything he can to get on the paddock.
“Ash is very keen to go back home and get out there in front of family and friends. I sent him a text after the match and spoke to him about how he was feeling and whether he’d be right for this weekend or whether I’d rest him and the response I got I can’t repeat. He is doing everything he can to get on the paddock.
“The injury happened in the first half against Canberra and he finished the game and was doing all he could still and probably could have played on the weekend but it wasn’t worth risking him, especially with the travel on a plane to New Zealand. Hopefully he will get through this weekend.”
With Taylor back, and Queensland prop Jarrod Wallace having his first hit out of the year due to suspension, the Titans will have a whole lot more to throw at the in-form Dragons than they did at the Warriors.
And while the hype will be around Taylor, who moved from St George to Toowoomba as a 10-year-old, just as exciting is the prospect of Wallace combining with former Broncos teammate and good mate Jai Arrow.
With Wallace out and NRL novices in Morgan Boyle, Max King and Keegan Hipgrave coming off the bench in the first two rounds, the performance of Arrow – who had started just four times in the previous two seasons with the Broncos – has been outstanding.
“I wish I had 16 more Jai Arrows; isn’t he a super talent,” enthused Brennan.
“In the first two weeks he has been enormous. For a young guy with as limited NRL experience as Jai has.
“They are very close, they have come through Brisbane together, I think they will feed off each other and I think Jai will hopefully grow another leg with Jarrod in the team and that can only benefit the team for Jai Arrow to go to another level, because he has been enormous.”
Brennan has chosen Wallace to the bench although he hinted that might change. Yet he admitted he may have to slow Wallace’s eagerness and ensure he feels his way into the season.
“He hasn’t trialled and a little underdone so taking him out of those early exchanges might get a few more minutes out of him,” Brennan said.
“That’s what I’m thinking at the moment but things could change as the week goes on.
“We’re a young inexperienced side and to have a State of Origin player come back into your team will only boost us; we can’t afford to have Origin quality players on the sideline, we need to have them on the park.
“He’s very determined. I got a text message form him after the game as well I can’t repeat – they [Taylor and Wallace] are both firing to go.”
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Taylor & Wallace raring to go
https://www.titans.com.au/
Once the dust had settled after the round two match against the Warriors last weekend, Coach Garth Brennan looked at his phone and in amongst the stack of text messages were two he was eager to read.
Halfback Ash Taylor (hamstring) and prop forward Jarrod Wallace (suspension) had text the coach immediately after the match telling him that they were ready to go and couldn’t wait for the round three match to kick-off.
Both players have differing motivations with Taylor keen to play in front of the Toowoomba faithful whilst Wallace is itching to get out there for his first match of season 2018.
“He’s (Taylor) got a bit of training to do between now and Sunday but we’ll see how he progresses,” Brennan said. “Fingers crossed he’ll be right to go.
“Yeah, he is (keen to play), going back home. He’s keen to play in front of family and friends. I had a text from him after the game and he said he’ll be right for this weekend.
Wallace has been itching to go since Christmas and after a tough training regime, the Origin representative is ready to go.
“I want to ease him into the game, he hasn’t trialled and might be a little underdone,” BrennaN said in relation to his selection on the interchange bench.
“He’s in great shape, he struggled early but he’s ripped, he’s trained really hard and he had his shirt off last week showing it off, which I found a bit disturbing but we’re excited to have him back.
“To have an Origin player come back into the side is important for us and we can’t have players of that calibre on the sidelines.
“I got a text message off him as well so they’re both raring to go.”
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Gold Coast Titans must lift to rattle St George Illawarra Dragons in Toowoomba
https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au
REIGNING Titans player of the year Anthony Don says Gold Coast must find next gear for when they play in front of their “second home” crowd.
The Titans were handed a convincing 20-8 defeat by the Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday, extending the latter’s head-to-head record to 14 wins in the past 15 clashes between the sides.
Gold Coast’s focus now moves to the first of two home games they will play in regional Queensland.
On Sunday next week, they will host red hot St George Illawarra at Clive Berghofer Stadium in Toowoomba.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do before next week,” Don said.
“They (the Dragons) have come out and started this comp really well.
“We’re looking forward to getting up to Toowoomba, our second home, and seeing all of our fans up there.
“We are going to put on a good show against the Dragons and hopefully we get a win.”
Don said effort had been present in abundance in Auckland but other areas had let them down.
“A few of the final touches and a few of the tackles on the try lines probably wasn’t good enough,” he said.
“We tried our guts out but probably a little bit of class in the second half let us down.”
Things did not go the Titans’ way either, with star half Ash Taylor (hamstring) ruled out pre-game and then three tries being denied by the bunker.
Taylor is expected to join prop Jarrod Wallace - whose suspension has now been served – on the returning list in Toowoomba.
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^^^ this article was written by a muppet. We weren’t convincingly beaten by NZ, we were dead unlucky and it could easily have been much different.
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Titans v Dragons: Taylor back, Dragons double up
https://www.nrl.com/
The NRL heads to Toowoomba with Gold Coast hosting a game away from Cbus Super Stadium. Paul McGregor's Dragons, excellent starters in recent years, are looking formidable again. The Red V are striving for three straight wins, and will fancy themselves despite being on the road.
The selections: Halfback Ash Taylor returns for the Titans after overcoming a hamstring niggle, with Bryce Cartwright back to lock. Prop Jarrod Wallace is a welcome inclusion after serving a two-game suspension. For St George Illawarra, expect to see Jeremy Latimore take his place on the interchange bench in jersey number 18, with Hame Sele the likely swap.
The key match-up: Ben Hunt v Ash Taylor. Dragons playmaker Hunt has already begun to justify his large pay packet, combining astutely with Gareth Widdop. Taylor is destined to be one of the competition's leading lights over the next few years, and he was sorely missed in last weekend's defeat versus the Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium.
For the Titans to win: They need to try and negate the brilliance of the Dragons halves as well as the go-forward of props Paul Vaughan and James Graham. The Broncos and Sharks failed to do so, and despite what promises to be a vocal crowd the Dragons will be brimming with confidence.
For the Dragons to win: Avoid flashy plays, stick to their systems. The Dragons are well drilled under McGregor, but at times can overplay their hand. Hunt brings experience and composure to a team who has been crying out for a top level halfback since Mathew Head moved on.
Titans Stat Attack: Missed tackles. It is alarming to say the least. 91 from two games. Their support play when in possession of the ball is encouraging – it is the best in the competition (475).
Dragons Stat Attack: With 54 points to their name, they have been entertaining. Only the Sea Eagles (72) and Raiders (56) have troubled the scorers more.
And another thing: Dragons Nene McDonald was on the books of the Titans in 2015 and 2016 before shifting clubs last year. The Papua New Guinea international is a natural finisher and no doubt will be keen to haunt his old club with a couple of four pointers.
Prediction: Dragons by 10
Titans: 1 Michael Gordon, 2 Anthony Don, 3 Dale Copley, 4 Konrad Hurrell, 5 Phillip Sami, 6 Kane Elgey, 7 Ashley Taylor, 8 Jai Arrow, 9 Nathan Peats, 10 Leilani Latu, 11 Kevin Proctor, 12 Ryan James (c), 13 Bryce Cartwright
Interchange: 14 Mitch Rein, 15 Will Matthews, 16 Morgan Boyle, 17 Jarrod Wallace
Reserves: 18 Keegan Hipgrave, 19 Joe Greenwood, 20 AJ Brimson, 21 Tyronne Roberts-Davis
Titans halfback Ash Taylor returns from a hamstring niggle, pushing Bryce Cartwright back to lock and Will Matthews to the bench. Prop Jarrod Wallace returns from a two-game suspension picked up in round 26 last season via the bench. Keegan Hipgrave drops to the reserves with Max King (illness) out of the 21.
Dragons: 1 Matthew Dufty, 2 Nene Macdonald, 3 Euan Aitken, 4 Tim Lafai, 5 Jason Nightingale, 6 Gareth Widdop (c), 7 Ben Hunt, 8 James Graham, 9 Cameron McInnes, 10 Paul Vaughan, 11 Tyson Frizell, 12 Tariq Sims, 13 Jack De Belin
Interchange: 14 Luciano Leilua, 15 Kurt Mann, 16 Leeson Ah Mau, 18 Hame Sele
Reserves: 18 Jeremy Latimore, 19 Zachary Lomax, 20 Reece Robson, 21 Blake Lawrie
The Dragons have named the same team as last week, with Jeremy Latimore in jersey 18 again likely to come onto the bench on game day.
Gold Coast Titans v St George Illawarra Dragons, Sunday 3.10pm AEST (4.10pm AEDT) at Clive Berghofer Stadium
Head-to-head: 19 games, Dragons 12 wins, Titans 7 wins
Points per game: Titans 19; Dragons 27
Points conceded per game: Titans 24; Dragons 14
Televised: Live on Nine, Fox League
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I've got a feeling we could see an upset. Just got one of those "underestimated" feelings. Hope I'm right.
So do I mate
We aren't going to win many games as long as we keep missing 40 tackles a game.