Round 6 TITANS vs BRONCOS

[C-Whiz]

Titans star wary of Barba-watching
By Tony Webeck, Chief Queensland Correspondent
NRL.com
7:00am Thu 10th April, 2014



As a kid he would marvel at the long-range tryscoring exploits of some of the game's great entertainers but Titans fullback David Mead insists he won't be a passive spectator if his opposite number, Ben Barba, breaks free on Friday night.

Opposing Storm superstar Billy Slater last Sunday, Mead scored a try, ran for 144 metres and came up with some critical plays at the Titans' defensive side of the field and drew high praise from his coach following the two-point win.

Since being given the opportunity to play fullback at the end of last season and also for Papua New Guinea at the World Cup, Mead has gone to school on the way the likes of Slater and Manly's Brett Stewart approach their work. Like all league fans he was captivated by Barba's displays in 2012 but does not want to see a return to that type of form on Friday night.

"I definitely enjoyed watching how he played in 2012 when he had that freak year but in saying that I'm going into the game 100 per cent focused on my job and doing it the best I can so our team can get the result," Mead said. "I can't get too caught up watching him do what he does.


"I haven't really played much fullback so I looked at Billy Slater and Brett Stewart, those types of players, I look at some of their clips and see what they do really well and try to use their type of game-plan in my game. Obviously I haven't had much of a chance to use that but watching them definitely helps my game.

"You've definitely got to do all your study on the kickers in the game because they're very different and kick to different parts of the field.

"You've just got to study each kicker differently every week and we certainly do our homework, myself and the two wingers, to make sure we're bringing the ball back as far as we can to help all the forwards out."

"

Last night David Mead became "that" guy, the guy that young kids around Australia want to play like and the guy that the rest of the NRL backs will be talking about. There will be kids out kicking the footy today wanting to "be" David Mead.
Congrats on the hard work, patience and perserverance. You owned the number 1 last night, and you showed Billy, Stewart and Barba how it's done. Superb effort.

[DavidBouveng]

Great game to be at last night. Just watched replay this morning.

Until Meady went turbo, our attack was very poor. After last week, I'm starting to think sezer is holding us back.

Our effort and will to compete in this game was noticeable from the first whistle. Knew it was going to a better derby than recent times.

hodges had such a bad game. Couldn't happen to a nicer bloke.

carter is a good kid, but he is getting way too carried away. We also were vastly better side for the 55 minutes Falloon was out there. If u think about when we were in charge of the match, it was the first 25 and last 20.

Taylor or is playing like a beast. Shame we don't use him to his strengths, but he is getting on with it anyways and putting in big efforts. Especially in defense. Chases hard.

i hope meads try don't overshadow his all round game. Defense, bomb catching, dummy runs,passing in the backline, fielding grubbers. He was safe, involved and then spectacular.

Gordon's chasing of bombs is very useful, often leads to errors from opposition.

I think neil henry is starting to prepare for his takeover. His finger sprints are all over our new....dress code.

[DavidBouveng]

Also think that with a quarter of our seasons games played, it's a great time to get a 10 day turn around and refresh, especially after a broncos derby which must be a bit mentally taxing.

Enjoy it lads, then come out and smash the panthers.

[Toads]

As much as it was a good result all round last night. We're still playing scrappy football that wont see us venture too far into the Finals if/when the time arrives later in the year. Still looking forward to the time we see some constant cohesion from within the team.

Good to see Meady step up last night 'n silence the knockers like myself (people who don't see him as our long term Fullback fix). Admittedly, he is a hell of a lot better option than the Total Package (Zillman).

[gcboyz]

My favourite time of the week is reading the online forum of our vanquished opponents. Great read this week. Broncos forum calling for Griffins head on a stick. These guys are savage, makes this forum look like a knitting circle. Hunt is crap, Hodges is underdone, Ben Barba is required to be sent back to Q Cup and Kennedy is an overpriced Marshmallow.
I have not laughed so much since granny got her t*ts caught in the mangle.

[TITAN PETE]

My favourite time of the week is reading the online forum of our vanquished opponents. Great read this week. Broncos forum calling for Griffins head on a stick. These guys are savage, makes this forum look like a knitting circle. Hunt is crap, Hodges is underdone, Ben Barba is required to be sent back to Q Cup and Kennedy is an overpriced Marshmallow.
I have not laughed so much since granny got her t*ts caught in the mangle.

Yes mate it's very funny reading

Your parting line is from the funniest comedy skit I have ever heard from Peter a Cook & Dudley Moore, "Laugh , I have not Laughed so much",,,,,

[Supergoose]

That's harsh on Hunt, they obviously watched a different game to me. He was very dangerous and did a lot of good things for them. Our defence is where it should be, efficient and effective. Parker and Thaiday have been rocking and rolling teams this season but we shut them down well. Now to find out what's happening with big Dark, hope his confidence in his shoulder returns quickly as he'll add a whole other dimension to us and we'll need him against some of the bigger sides.

[Bayside Titan]

One thing that I have noticed is that once Whitey and Bull get on the temp lifts abit as well. I think that it's important that we retain Whitey as well he is in the top 10 for off loads and that helps is a lot to keep the ball alive.

Broncos looked to have a plan to isolate Kelly and Taylor and made them do a lot of work hence why Kelly's tackle count was high. I agree with some others that Hunt was pretty good and gave the Broncs a few good opportunities.

Our defence at the moment is keeping us in games and just shear luck in attack is winning us games. The defence has Neil Henry's finger prints all over it so one would hope that Neil is in charge of the Titans next year or later this year.

As for players for us that played well I think that Taylor is getting better each week and Myles is returning to form and the BALD TWINS off the bench give us a lot as well. To me it seems like the outside backs just need to come together more. Falloon is getting better each week as well as he is linking well with Alby.

[DavidBouveng]

hunt was second best on field only to Mead last night imo

[TITAN PETE]

hunt was second best on field only to Mead last night imo

I agree mate without him they would wouldn't have scored a point & of what I've seen of the Donkeys play this year he's easily been their best , I'd have him if Kelly was out in a heart beat

[Kevin Rablin]

[QUOTE=Bayside Titans;341387]One thing that I have noticed is that once Whitey and Bull get on the temp lifts abit as well. I think that it's important that we retain Whitey as well he is in the top 10 for off loads and that helps is a lot to keep the ball alive.

Only thing i am not liking about white is he has a habit of pushing himself up off the tackled opponents back. I don't think he has given away a penalty for it yet, however i think a few could have been blown. apart from that he is running hard, and yes offloading. Is it just me or last night, when we started offloading we played much better, caused thinning defence on the ball carrier and got a lot of quick play the balls. Not sure if it happened much in the first half but i definitely noticed it in the second.

[DavidBouveng]

we were 20 or so ahead of the closest team in the NRL before this round for offloads. it was 66 for us and 47 for next best... so we are almost 50% ahead of the CLOSEST team in the NRL. thats quite a gap, and is clearly a coached tactic

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for sure, he scored once, almost twice (thanks Meady) and was the man most likely once we got ahead. he did make a decent break but gordon got him just.

His grubbers close to the line were pretty dangerous except for one also (thanks Meady)

He has been one of the top halves this year and is well ahead on form compared to pearce, maloney, cronk.

Despite not being a big broncs fan, i am happy for him as he has carried pressure for years,got played at hooker for years, got prince parachuted into his spot last year, and now hes finally taking his chance...and doing it well.

[Kevin Rablin]

totally agree. when we offload we are dangerous. Offloaded heaps in the melbourne game, won that. I didn't see to many in the first half last night (might be mistaken though) but in the second half i saw quite a few and we looked to speed the game up by doing so.

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and mead is without a doubt our number 1. i, along with many, was campaigning for this earlier this year. Overall so proud of the boys. It wasn't pretty but we got it done. I am also wondering if blair should be our 5/8. I know seizer has a great kicking game and is a class player, but we just seemed more organised against melbourne.

[DavidBouveng]

i think blair was more effective and helped the team keep and better shape and bal movement, but at his age it might be better if we utilise him as a tool to train Sezer. Sezer is young and the future, and we have a guy who showed in one game some of the missing things from Sezers game. get them togther, watch the melbourne tape, dicuss, learn, and sezer can use those skills for 10 years. at the moment, when sezers not kicking the ball, hes about as useful as Jack Reed.

[Titanic]

Watched it twice now, read all your comments and have a few of my own too.

There are few things better than eating humble pie when it applies to your footy team and I have to take my hat off to Neil Henry for turning this bunch of misfits into a team, albeit an imperfect one as yet.

1. David Mead should now have the #1 tattooed on his back and Zillman should only be considered if for some reason Mead is injured.
2. Zillman does not warrant ousting Don from the right wing nor command a position at left centre. I doubt he can defuse bombs on the wing because he couldn't defuse them at FB and he is definitely not the quality of Blair who is proving to be a revelation on the left side where he should have started the season.
3. Sezer needs serious help. He chokes the left side and a swap with Blair in attack could help his learning curve. He is also a quality player in need of guidance and I was very pleased to see him get his ar$e over on the right side a few times, as he should.
4. Blair's commitment in defence is not what I had expected from him. Late in the game his double tackle to shut down a very dangerous situation just prior to Mead's magic was exceptional heart from a new player.
5. Brad Tighe is the perfect RIGHT side replacement for Don if he is fit and Don is injured. When they are both they should be the RIGHT side combination with Takairangi, who has earned his spot, coming off the bench.
6. Kevin Gordon, I am very pleased to be wrong and suggest you go out and buy Blair a lottery ticket as his talk has gone a long way into solving our left-side problems. I hope our other readers here are watching how Blair controls that left side now. He's not the fastest or the most punishing but he has real rugby league smarts.
7. Paul Carter step back, have a look at yourself and don't listen to the pundits. Forward passes take two, that's for sure, but they start with the person who passes. Also have a chat to Ryan James about what being an NRL hitman means ... he had to learn the hard way that it's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll.
8. Harrison's injury may open a gap for James to return otherwise James shouldn't get a spot in place of anyone else other than Minichiello. Minichiello is honest but James should go into the prop rotation and Myles to the backrow.
9. Falloon is an enigma. Is he better than Srama? Well, until Srama has some form on the board Falloon is our hooker and he is not the reason for the lack of direction, that honour goes back to our halves. Alby is not an organiser and Sezer doesn't seem to be able to over rule the forwards ... Blair can.
10. Kelly is true star and just needs to be allowed to play his game. Henry gets this and we should be confident that he won't get harnessed into a Cartwright box.
11. Taylor seems to love being asked to play big minutes. He was great last night.
12. As for Bird, Bailey, White and Douglas; nobody could argue that these guys ever lie down. They are machines.

I loved that win because we played like a team that believed in themselves and each other. That is all I have ever wanted from them.

And finally my team for this week:

1. Mead
2. Gordon
3. Blair
4. Takairangi
5. Tighe but you could bet this will be Zillman
6. Sezer
7. Kelly
8. Douglas
9. Falloon
10. James
11. Myles
12. Taylor
13. Bird

14. Bailey
15. White
16. Minichiello not Ridge against Penrith
17. Carter

Oh I nearly forgot ... Broncos eat sh1t