Round 4: North Queensland Cowboys vs Gold Coast Titans

[Supergoose]

Very hard to get a read on our team when we can't hold the ball. Every time we turned the ball over the cowboys to their credit really punished us with large metres and tries. Minichiello has hands like feet when he's away from home. He must forget to pack them or something. The difference in the game was that the cowboys capitalized on our mistakes and the titans just couldn't return the favour. Tomane got ankle tapped on his way to the line and zillman mis-kicked straight into gallant's hands when he tried a Billy slater move which backfired. If these couple of plays come off, who knows what happens. I don't know that presto was a lone soldier in not having a great game. We certainly missed laffranchi. Bird was quiet too. I really thought we needed Rogers closer to the action.
So I think we shouldn't go too hard on the boys. The cowboys scored most of their points against the run of play. Our attack needs to be better. Apart from the raiders game we have turned over way too much ball and put unneccessary pressure on our defensive line. Big games coming up - if we can start holding the ball we're a good chance if not, it's time to dig deep as suppoters and show out colours when the boys need to see them most.

[DIEHARD]

CLICK TO VIEW MATCH STATS ON NRLSTATS.COM

[DIEHARD]

Tonga steps up to show youngster who's boss

AFTER reading that his opposite number may not just keep him out of Origin this year but was also the ''new Mal Meninga'', North Queensland's Willie Tonga last night ran rings around hapless youngster Joseph Tomane.

The 26-year-old Tonga led the NRL for line-breaks before taking the field for last night's Dairy Farmers Stadium clash with Gold Coast, but was still not rated a certainty to be Justin Hodges' replacement in the Queensland side should Israel Folau be fit.

Regardless of whether the former Australian international intended to prove a point against his 20-year-old rival, he certainly did in the Cowboys' 32-18 win.

But the score that completed the veteran's second career hat-trick underlined the result of the personal duel as he handed rugby union convert Tomane a forceful fend in the face before also disposing of Preston Campbell's challenge on the way to the line.

Without injured captain Scott Prince, the previously undefeated Titans managed to come back to 20-10 and 26-18 down in the second session but the Cowboys - and captain Johnathan Thurston in particular - always had their measure.

And it was Tomane that halfback Thurston beat when he strolled over for the clincher - approved by video referee Chris Ward - with seven minutes to go. The pair had collided early in the match, Thurston's ankle-tap preventing Tomane making it six tries in as many games.

Thurston also managed to keep his perfect goalkicking record for the year alive with another superlative six-from-six display.

The result leaves Melbourne alone at the top of the NRL as the only unbeaten side after four rounds.

Both sides had early scoring chances which they blew - which was characteristic of a North Queensland side which had failed to post a first-half try all season.

NORTH QUEENSLAND 32 (W Tonga 3 L O'Donnell J Thurston tries J Thurston 6 goals) bt GOLD COAST 18 (M Minichiello 2 S Tagataese tries M Rogers 3 goals) at Dairy Farmers Stadium. Referee: Steve Lyons, Alan Shortall. Crowd: 15,551.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league

[teke]

I have watched David Mead play for about 12 weeks now and am sick and tired of him letting our team down in defence and lack of confidence.

I thought cartwright would have learnt with lalea paea after he cost us winning our first few games in the competition.

For some reason Cartwright kept picking and he would only make the same mistakes. Now he is doing the same thing with mead and week in week out Mead keeps making the same defensive mistakes and in attack he hasn't got the confidence to come up with the winning play.

David Mead has incredible speed and has obviously got heaps of ability, but until he has confidence in his own play, he is not ready for first grade. The longer cartwright leaves him in first grade the less chance he has of ever playing A grade NRL.

Where is Lalea Paea these days!!! He cant even make it in the French Rugby League.

David Mead will one day be a great player, but only if he is given time to find his feet in the QRL. I DONT CARE WHAT HE DOES AT TRAINING HE IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR A-GRADE FOOTBALL. NOT YET ANYWAY.

I checked the amount of mistakes that Mead had apparentlly made this year, and apparentlly it was 1. That can only mean that missing tackles and letting in tries don't count as mistakes.

The problem with Meads defence is that he puts massive amounts of pressure on the players around him because they know he won't make that tackle.

Com on Carty. He is letting the whole team down, because you can't make a tough decision.
And it shouldn't even be tough.

Over Mead you have had Zillman And Tagatesse on the bench!!!!!!!Q
It makes no sense.

He just isnt ready>

How many tries does he have to let in before someone in the coaching ranks can identify this. I AM NOT A GENIUS!!!!!!!!
IT IS OBVIOUS!!!!!!!!

Dont ruin his carrer by letting him ruin our season!!!!!

Your number One Fan
Who Does Know Something About This Great Game!

Holy Dooley this is a rant . Im Meads biggest supporter and to stick the blame on him tonight when Presto and Tomane were getting pumped is beyond harsh. He was 1 man on 2 for alot of game time tonight. Lack of confidence was warranted tonight when his inside men were getting blitzed terribly. I am glad you are not in the coaching staff cause you would drop the outside back with the most punch through the defensive line..

[titansrawesome]

Tonga steps up to show youngster who's boss

AFTER reading that his opposite number may not just keep him out of Origin this year but was also the ''new Mal Meninga'', North Queensland's Willie Tonga last night ran rings around hapless youngster Joseph Tomane.

The 26-year-old Tonga led the NRL for line-breaks before taking the field for last night's Dairy Farmers Stadium clash with Gold Coast, but was still not rated a certainty to be Justin Hodges' replacement in the Queensland side should Israel Folau be fit.

Regardless of whether the former Australian international intended to prove a point against his 20-year-old rival, he certainly did in the Cowboys' 32-18 win.

But the score that completed the veteran's second career hat-trick underlined the result of the personal duel as he handed rugby union convert Tomane a forceful fend in the face before also disposing of Preston Campbell's challenge on the way to the line.

Without injured captain Scott Prince, the previously undefeated Titans managed to come back to 20-10 and 26-18 down in the second session but the Cowboys - and captain Johnathan Thurston in particular - always had their measure.

And it was Tomane that halfback Thurston beat when he strolled over for the clincher - approved by video referee Chris Ward - with seven minutes to go. The pair had collided early in the match, Thurston's ankle-tap preventing Tomane making it six tries in as many games.

Thurston also managed to keep his perfect goalkicking record for the year alive with another superlative six-from-six display.

The result leaves Melbourne alone at the top of the NRL as the only unbeaten side after four rounds.

Both sides had early scoring chances which they blew - which was characteristic of a North Queensland side which had failed to post a first-half try all season.

NORTH QUEENSLAND 32 (W Tonga 3 L O'Donnell J Thurston tries J Thurston 6 goals) bt GOLD COAST 18 (M Minichiello 2 S Tagataese tries M Rogers 3 goals) at Dairy Farmers Stadium. Referee: Steve Lyons, Alan Shortall. Crowd: 15,551.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league

when i read the hype of maroon selection for tomane over tonga today i already knew something bad was going to happen, our defense was shoddy as tonight and i actually believe our attack was as good as i have seen this year despite the drop balls.

[teke]

when i read the hype of maroon selection for tomane over tonga today i already knew something bad was going to happen, our defense was shoddy as tonight and i actually believe our attack was as good as i have seen this year despite the drop balls.

Yeah attack wasnt THAT bad it just didnt have the direction Prince gives.

It was obvious Cowboys aimed up at Presto and worked his area over, when the Titans strengthened up there the Cowboys usually found an overlap on Gordons wing.

I thought Matthews played alright tonight, did some good solid one on one tackles.

[teke]

Presto will improve with more time in the role but it'll be tough in the next 2 weeks against the toughest of opposition.

I was surprised by Tomane tonight. He's had a great start to the season but he needs alot of work on his defence.

The line up changes for the Cowboys worked a treat. Gallant's runs were something that the Cowboys have been sadly missing whenever Bowen has been out over the past couple of years.

I have no idea why Gallant was not given a run before Ty Williams. Last years form from Shannon at the tigers was superb before he broke his leg.

[TITAN PETE]

I have watched David Mead play for about 12 weeks now and am sick and tired of him letting our team down in defence and lack of confidence.

U must have seen something that i've missed so far in his career as he didn't have a great game last night but i think his place in the team is very safe

Are u Carty's Number 1 fan

[titanstattman]

No comment on last nights game.....

[karnage]

No comment on last nights game.....

Does saying 'no comment' count as making a comment...?

Someone metioned that chip kick that Zillman put on being unlucky. It was more than that - it was poorly executed on every level.

In under 10's they teach you to draw a defensive player before you put on a move - be it a pass or step or kick - but he put his move on about 20m away from the guy. If he had just drawn him in first the play would have been on or he could have dummied to kick and run around him.

We were 6-0 up when he butchered that opportunity and it resulted in a MASSIVE momentum shift. Zillman had a good opportunity to be a game breaker last night and he blew it.

[teke]

Does saying 'no comment' count as making a comment...?

Someone metioned that chip kick that Zillman put on being unlucky. It was more than that - it was poorly executed on every level.

In under 10's they teach you to draw a defensive player before you put on a move - be it a pass or step or kick - but he put his move on about 20m away from the guy. If he had just drawn him in first the play would have been on or he could have dummied to kick and run around him.

We were 6-0 up when he butchered that opportunity and it resulted in a MASSIVE momentum shift. Zillman had a good opportunity to be a game breaker last night and he blew it.

You will find that more often than not the less time these nrl players get to think about the better it comes off.

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

Dont think youll see rovelli in the team for a while

[titansrawesome]

yeah because thompson did good and rovelli is ****

[Boonarga]

They didn't all play poorly. Once again Nathan Friend was head and shoulders above the rest. I couldn't believe it when the commentators suggested the cowboys were targeting him in defence. Big mistake.
If we hold the ball we win that game. Zero doubt.

[AmericanTitan]

well,I've finally been able to watch the game and obviously it wasn't what I wanted to see.


Friend and Minichello clearly are playing well, but overall the team looks a bit out of sorts.


Disappointing effort. Hopefully things can rebound.