Warrick Nicolson | 07/02/08
STATE OF PLAY
An encouraging first season didn’t deliver the playoff spot the people of the Gold Coast were hoping for halfway through the year, but the Titans made some giant strides towards establishing themselves as an NRL powerhouse in the future.
The 1997 Chargers remain the only Gold Coast team to make the finals but if the Titans can get similar contributions from their top players and some luck with injuries in 2008 – a second appearance might be on the cards.
Last 3 Finishes:
2005: n/a
2006: n/a
2007: 12th
ROSTER ROUND-UP
After poaching quality players in the first 18 months of their existence the club took a step back this off-season in the player market. A big reason for this was that the majority of the players signed for the inaugural season were given multi-year contracts.
The only significant purchase the club made was when Ashley Harrison fell into their lap when released by the Roosters in November. The Titans did farewell the disappointing Jake Webster and Matt Hilder – the latter of which fell out of favour with the coach towards the end of the season.
One loss that may turn out to be a positive is the decision by Richie Mathers to return to England. Mathers didn’t make much of an impact in his first foray into the NRL but his absence should see Preston Campbell move back to the position that won him a Dally M Medal in 2001 with Cronulla.
If Campbell is able to pick and choose his times to chime into the backline and Mat Rogers can stay healthy for the entire season; the Titans chief playmaker Scott Prince will have at least two legitimate offensive weapons to use outside him. In 2007 it was too often a case of unless Prince set up or scored the try, the Titans simply couldn’t get over the stripe.
Josh Lewis had an extended crack at the five-eighth job but didn’t really make a compelling case for the role in 2008.
Out wide the team has plenty of options but not a great deal of strikepower to choose from with Chris Walker’s Achilles injury. Brett Delaney, Luke O’Dwyer, Lelea Paea, Smith Samau and new buys Brenton Bowen and Ben Jeffrey will fight it out for the vacancies on the wing and at centre.
If healthy, Matt Petersen did enough to suggest he’ll be in the team on the wing, while O’Dwyer might push Lewis out as a make-shift five-eighth.
Nathan Friend and Clint Amos did a decent job sharing the hooking duties but both will need to keep an eye on former Bulldog Billy Ngawini, who should finally get the extended NRL audition he probably deserved in 2007 from the Dogs.
Ngawini is an offensively minded player and could add really add something to the Titans attack from the bench.
With everyone fit and available for selection the Titans forward pack has a lot going for it.
Michael Henderson was emerging as a strong candidate to partner Luke Bailey in the front row before he suffered a season ending injury and the team never quite recovered from that loss.
Brad Meyers, James Stosic and Michael Hodgson would have stepped into Henderson’s shoes but they too spent most of the season on the sidelines. To shore up this area Aaron Cannings and Matthew Cross were signed and former Storm hardman Ian Donnelly will have his first off-season with the club after transferring midway through 2007.
Gavin Cooper was a big disappointment after a promising debut year with the Cowboys in 2006.
He should rebound if he gets a chance to play alongside Anthony Laffranchi who had a monumental year.
Laffranchi and Bailey were superb and gave the Titans pack a chance to compete every week but they can’t win games on their own and the support players must lift as a result.
Harrison, in particular, has struggled for form since joining the Roosters in 2005 but is a fine player. Mark Minichiello, Kris Kahler, Daniel Conn and Luke Swain offer depth but only Conn looks like he has more development ahead of him.
STRONGEST LINE-UP
1. CAMPBELL, Preston
2. PETERSON, Matt
3. DELANEY, Brett
4. ROGERS, Mat
5. WALKER, Chris
6. LEWIS, Josh
7. PRINCE, Scott
8. BAILEY, Luke
9. FRIEND, Nathan
10. HENDERSON, Michael
11. MEYERS, Brad
12. LAFFRANCHI, Anthony
13. HARRISON, Ashley
14. DONNELLY, Ian
15. HODGSON, Michael
16. COOPER, Gavin
17. O’DWYER, Luke
FEARLESS FORECAST
Injuries to a number of forwards mid-season and Scott Prince’s damaged collarbone derailed their playoff campaign in 2007.
The side struggled to score points during the year and despite a brilliant individual season, Prince needs to utilise his outside men in Rogers, Campbell and Chris Walker (when fit) more to help the team’s attack. A place in the top 8 might depend on it.
PREDICTED RECORD: 12-12
PREDICTED FINISH: 8th
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