StEely Matt
Juniors
- Messages
- 468
No mention of "THE BUG" by Phil... what an idiot.
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/freespirited-willing-titans-are-the-real-deal-baby/2007/04/29/1177787973635.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
Titans are the real deal, baby
Phil Gould | April 30, 2007
GOLD Coast are fast establishing themselves as serious contenders in this competition, despite the fact this is their first season back in the NRL.
Their 38-12 win over Parramatta yesterday was not only dominant but the nature of their play suggests they have many winning ingredients not evident in all of their rivals.
Now let's not get carried away. I don't want to be the first league writer to put the mock on them by predicting something outlandish like winning a premiership or even making the finals.
It's just that I don't see a lot of genuine quality in this premiership race.
A lot of things have to go right for the Titans between now and, say, August for people to start talking about fairytales or the like; but if they stay healthy and continue to improve at their recent rate, the Titans might not be able to avoid such pressure from public opinion.
This is a very good team.
I'm sure Parramatta turned up for yesterday's game ready to play and keen for success. However, the Titans seized the initiative right from the opening whistle and they refused to allow their opponents back into the contest.
As the game wore on, Parramatta succumbed to the speed and skill of the Titans. Chasing the ball all afternoon in the steamy conditions at Carrara Stadium proved to be an insurmountable mental hurdle.
By half-time, they were beaten and by midway through the second half, their heads were already on the plane back to Sydney.
The Titans have shown gradual improvement every week since their two-point loss to St George Illawarra in the opening round. They have played with plenty of excitement and spirit in the first six weeks of the season, but this was to be expected given the hype surrounding their re-entry into the competition and the players' desire to display their individual commitment to the supporters of this new franchise.
Yesterday's performance showed they are now really starting to get the football thing happening as well.
In an age where "ball control" and "completing your sets of six" have become all-too-common rugby league jargon, this team actually goes hunting its opposition with an exciting blend of power and skill.
This is not a team looking to keep itself in an arm-wrestle (yet another annoying cliché). The Titans look for the step-over toe-hold from the outset to force you into submission.
They are a constant windmill of knock-out punches looking to hit the mark.
They don't play a security-conscious brand of football at all. Coming out of their own end of the field, their play is somewhat tempered in their metre-gaining missions - but if the opportunity to make ground easier means spreading the ball quickly to the outside backs, they don't hesitate to chance their hand. Also, the Titans forwards are hard-working lads, but they don't play with a head-down, bum-up mentality. If they can force an offload to create second-phase play, they do so instinctively.
Anthony Laffranchi and Mark Minichiello in particular are tremendous attacking weapons and do more for their team in offence than a lot of the better-known second-row pairings in the competition.
They make the odd mistake, but they make them at 100 miles an hour while trying to achieve something special. They will never die wondering.
Finally, no plaudits to this emerging team could ever be complete if due credit wasn't given to the team leaders.
Front-rower Luke Bailey was outstanding. The combination of halfback Scott Prince and fullback Preston Campbell was at times mesmerising.
They absolutely toyed with the Parramatta defence, executing a vast repertoire of attacking plays, including a marvellous chip kick by Prince for Campbell to regather and produce a try for Josh Graham.
It was pure brilliance of the kind that gets people coming through the turnstiles.
Out in the car park after the game, I saw two young boys in Titans T-shirts tying to re-create their own version of this magic, commentating on the play as they went.
Nothing could ever make a stronger statement about the appeal of this new team and these wonderful players than seeing kids trying to emulate their new heroes.
The Titans are making a noise, baby - and in more ways than one.
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/freespirited-willing-titans-are-the-real-deal-baby/2007/04/29/1177787973635.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
Titans are the real deal, baby
Phil Gould | April 30, 2007
GOLD Coast are fast establishing themselves as serious contenders in this competition, despite the fact this is their first season back in the NRL.
Their 38-12 win over Parramatta yesterday was not only dominant but the nature of their play suggests they have many winning ingredients not evident in all of their rivals.
Now let's not get carried away. I don't want to be the first league writer to put the mock on them by predicting something outlandish like winning a premiership or even making the finals.
It's just that I don't see a lot of genuine quality in this premiership race.
A lot of things have to go right for the Titans between now and, say, August for people to start talking about fairytales or the like; but if they stay healthy and continue to improve at their recent rate, the Titans might not be able to avoid such pressure from public opinion.
This is a very good team.
I'm sure Parramatta turned up for yesterday's game ready to play and keen for success. However, the Titans seized the initiative right from the opening whistle and they refused to allow their opponents back into the contest.
As the game wore on, Parramatta succumbed to the speed and skill of the Titans. Chasing the ball all afternoon in the steamy conditions at Carrara Stadium proved to be an insurmountable mental hurdle.
By half-time, they were beaten and by midway through the second half, their heads were already on the plane back to Sydney.
The Titans have shown gradual improvement every week since their two-point loss to St George Illawarra in the opening round. They have played with plenty of excitement and spirit in the first six weeks of the season, but this was to be expected given the hype surrounding their re-entry into the competition and the players' desire to display their individual commitment to the supporters of this new franchise.
Yesterday's performance showed they are now really starting to get the football thing happening as well.
In an age where "ball control" and "completing your sets of six" have become all-too-common rugby league jargon, this team actually goes hunting its opposition with an exciting blend of power and skill.
This is not a team looking to keep itself in an arm-wrestle (yet another annoying cliché). The Titans look for the step-over toe-hold from the outset to force you into submission.
They are a constant windmill of knock-out punches looking to hit the mark.
They don't play a security-conscious brand of football at all. Coming out of their own end of the field, their play is somewhat tempered in their metre-gaining missions - but if the opportunity to make ground easier means spreading the ball quickly to the outside backs, they don't hesitate to chance their hand. Also, the Titans forwards are hard-working lads, but they don't play with a head-down, bum-up mentality. If they can force an offload to create second-phase play, they do so instinctively.
Anthony Laffranchi and Mark Minichiello in particular are tremendous attacking weapons and do more for their team in offence than a lot of the better-known second-row pairings in the competition.
They make the odd mistake, but they make them at 100 miles an hour while trying to achieve something special. They will never die wondering.
Finally, no plaudits to this emerging team could ever be complete if due credit wasn't given to the team leaders.
Front-rower Luke Bailey was outstanding. The combination of halfback Scott Prince and fullback Preston Campbell was at times mesmerising.
They absolutely toyed with the Parramatta defence, executing a vast repertoire of attacking plays, including a marvellous chip kick by Prince for Campbell to regather and produce a try for Josh Graham.
It was pure brilliance of the kind that gets people coming through the turnstiles.
Out in the car park after the game, I saw two young boys in Titans T-shirts tying to re-create their own version of this magic, commentating on the play as they went.
Nothing could ever make a stronger statement about the appeal of this new team and these wonderful players than seeing kids trying to emulate their new heroes.
The Titans are making a noise, baby - and in more ways than one.
