R24 Sat - Cronulla Sutherland v Gold Coast

[Timmah]

SUPER SATURDAY

CRONULLA SUTHERLAND v GOLD COAST
Toyota Park, Woolooware NSW :: Saturday 25 August
Gates open 3:15pm, Jersey Flegg 3:30pm
First Grade Kickoff 5:30pm

TV Live on FOXTEL, Check Local Guides.
Web LeagueUnlimited LIVE UPDATE.
Radio 2GB Full Game Call, check www.rugbyleaguelive.com for details.

GET TICKETS HERE.

JASON ROBINSON
Sideline Officials: Michael Jones & Gerard Sutton
Video Referee: Graeme West

Cronulla Sutherland Sharks lineup
1. Mitch Brown
2. Bryson Goodwin, 3. Ben Pomeroy, 4. David Simmons, 5. Luke Covell
6. Greg Bird, 7. Brett Seymour
8. Ben Ross, 9. Isaac De Gois, 10. Craig Stapleton
11. Reece Williams, 12. Luke Douglas
13. Paul Gallen

Int - 14. Eddie Su’a, 15. Dayne Weston, 16. Paul Stephenson, 17. Kevin Kingston
18. Cameron Ciraldo

Gold Coast Titans lineup
1. Chris Walker
2. Jake Webster, 3. Mat Rogers, 4. Brett Delaney, 5. Matthew Petersen
6. Preston Campbell, 7. Scott Prince(c)
8. Luke Bailey(c), 9. Nathan Friend, 10. Michael Hodgson
11. Anthony Laffranchi, 12. Mark Minichiello
13. Luke Swain

Int - 14. Daniel Conn, 15. Ian Donnelly, 16. Gavin Cooper, 17. Luke O'Dwyer
​

LOWER GRADES
JERSEY FLEGG Cronulla Sutherland v Manly Warringah, 3:30pm
PREMIER LEAGUE Cronulla Sutherland v Bulldogs @ Telstra, 5:30pm Friday

 

[gong_eagle]

Sharks v Titans preview

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

http://nrl.com/News/MatchReports/MatchReportsArticle/tabid/336/NewsId/6724/Default.aspx


What do the Sharks have to do to get an even break?
Three weeks ago team members were reduced to tears when they went down by a point to the Storm… last week they could have been excused for doing the same after succumbing to a last-minute Robbie Farah field goal to lose to the Wests Tigers by the narrowest of margins again.
That said, they did sandwich those efforts with a brave one-point win against the Eels, courtesy of a field goal of their own in golden point extra time.
Yep, three consecutive games decided by a single point – the Sharks certainly are a thrilling side to watch.
Even though their 2007 finals dream has now evaporated that scenario is unlikely to change, with Ricky Stuart’s men now intent on ruining John Cartwright’s boys’ hopes of progressing past round 25 in their debut year.
The Titans have lost six of their past eight games to sit 10th on the ladder, two points from the finals’ zone.
Last week they held out a determined Roosters outfit to keep their semis dream alive – and in the process halt the momentum of Brad Fittler and his Roosters.
Bryson Goodwin makes his debut for the Sharks, with Misi Taulapapa punted to Premier League after an indifferent display last week, while Titans lock Luke Swain plays his 100th first grade game.
Watch out Sharks: This game marks the first occasion local legend Mat Rogers will turn out against his former club.
It’s bound to be fuelled with emotion, given his famous Sharks dad Steve’s passing in early 2006.
But Rogers has thrived in the move north and is determined to assist the Titans to a semi-finals berth.
It’s no coincidence Rogers was missing from four of the five games they lost in a row from round 16.
He’s been easily their best strike weapon, with 14 line breaks (10th best in the comp despite his time on the sidelines), nine tries, 57 tackle breaks and 13 offloads.

Watch out Titans: Coach Cartwright will have instructed his players to contain the Sharks’ scrum-base duo of Brett Seymour and Greg Bird.
Their flair has been instrumental in the Sharks’ resurgence – last week Seymour made eight runs for 84 metres, 19 tackles, four tackle breaks, three try assists, two offloads and line breaks, while Bird made 13 runs for 134 metres, 18 tackles, nine tackle breaks, three offloads, a line break and a try.
Those sorts of metres take great pressure off the bigger forwards and ensure greater strike-power around the park. Plus the duo have a great shared kicking game – they punted the ball 21 times between them last week for a combined 651 metres.
Where it will be won: It will be interesting to see whether the Titans’ good structure or the Sharks’ ad-lib attack gets the ascendancy early.
With Scott Prince guiding them around the park and Luke Bailey battering out the hard yards up the middle (his 350 hit-ups ranks him fifth in the comp), the Titans will then look to send it wide to dependable sources of scoring in Rogers and winger Matt Petersen.
And expect controversial winger Chris Walker to be in everything; he’ll be out to prove his worth not just to Cartwright but also to rub former coach Ricky Stuart’s face in it. If he matches last week’s effort (18 runs for 177 metres in the wet, seven tackle breaks and a line break) he’s a big show of being retained for 2008.
He knows he has just two games to determine his future; it’s now all up to him.
Meanwhile expect the Sharks to throw caution to the wind and play the same expansive game that has served them well recently.
The home side is the best in the comp at offloads and holds a commanding advantage over their opponents here, 298 to 203.
The History: Played 1; Sharks 0, Titans 1. The Titans scraped home 18-16 in their only clash at Carrara Stadium in round 2, the new franchise’s first ever NRL win.
Conclusion: The Titans have more to play for. They’ve depended heavily on the platform set by Mat Rogers and Scott Prince in the backs and Luke Bailey and Anthony Laffranchi in the forwards.
They’ll be defensively tough – last week Bailey’s 45 tackles, Laffranchi’s 55 and hooker Nathan Friend’s 49 accounted for more than 40 per cent of the side’s total tackles.
Out wide Matt Petersen has been an unheralded success story – he has a knack for crossing the line, with 10 tries from 15 games, including the opener last week.
It’ll be close, as all Sharks scorelines have been this year. But perhaps Scott Prince – among the handful of leading contenders for player of the year – will provide the X-factor to keep the Titans alive.
Match officials: Referee – Jason Robinson; Sideline Officials – Michael Jones & Gerard Sutton; Video ref – Graeme West.

Televised: Fox Sports 3 – Live 5.30pm.
* Statistics: NRL Stats.

 

[Timmah]

Statistically speaking (from Big League magazine)

All head to head clashes
1 match
Gold Coast 1-0

At Toyota Park head to head clashes
Never met

Last met
Gold Coast 18 Cronulla Sutherland 16 at Carrara Stadium, 2007

Biggest wins
Gold Coast 18 Cronulla Sutherland 16 at Carrara Stadium, 2007
Cronulla Sutherland have never beaten the Gold Coast or won a premiership for that matter

CRO v GCT in Grand Finals
None

Betting (opening markets, TAB Sportsbet)
Cronulla Sutherland 1.65 Gold Coast 2.20

 

[innsaneink]

Greg Birds had vegemite sambos for lunch

 

[Hurriflatch]

Get a win you poxy bloody Titans

 

[scottyeel]

Try- Covell

 

[scottyeel]

Sharks 4
Titans 0
9 minutes gone

 

[Hurriflatch]

useless bloody Titans can't do anything right

If they lose kick them out of the comp again

 

[innsaneink]

Come on Sharkies.

 

[green eyed mike]

sh!t, why did I tip the Titans? I thought the sharks wouldbe dead and gone after last week

 

[Mr Saab]

Greg Bird with a typical Cronulla dive. Great reputation he has.

 

[Dragon]

yeah Bird is scum, he acted as thogh he was knocked out from a simple arm around the shoulders/neck.

 

[innsaneink]

Gee this ref is ordinary.....glad/hope we dont see him next month.

 

[Shorty]

Now now...we all remember how great the Sharkies are with finishing out games.

 

[NK Arsenal]

C'mon Titans you can win this..but not when you are 16-6 down

 

[DragonPunk]

Now 20-6 and converted so its 22-6 Titans are gone.

 

[DogEEL]

titans are playing sh*t.

this ref robinson is one of the worst refs. simmonds was off side for the intercept.

 

[Rovelli]

Titans must win to keep their finals' hopes alive

 

[DogEEL]

webster is sh*t. these titans are so f**kin weak. they have gotten bashed all game.

matty rogers has f**ked up all game, just turned the ball over on his own 20.

 

[wittyfan]

Good night Titans for 2007.