Titans 3 2 1s

[Valheru]

What a start to the season! Only one more win in the next 7 and we are in front of last year...

Full disclosure, i was too pissed last night to make a fair judgement on 3 2 1s and fox sports only has half hour highlights so ill leave it to you guys to judge.

From what i saw the first half was a clinic with the demons of last year becoming a distant memory. The 2nd half was very poor with too many errors and penalties being conceded. As bad as we were in the 2nd half, i thought our defence was quite good with 2 of their 3 tries coming directly from mistakes.

This was far from the complete 80 minute performance but it is only round 1.

 

[Headless Chook]

I'm in the same boat. I'll need to watch a replay. I remember being happy at half time and not so happy during the second half, then happy again.

 

[H.H]

I'll make it 3...I was blind last night so will watch the replay and give scores then.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Well I'll actually post mine then.

3 points: Luke Keary. Scored 2 tries, looked quick when running the ball, but knew when to pass. Linked up well with Pearce at halfback and with his outside backs. Hard to believe it was his debut game for us due to how well he fitted into the side. Also made 24 tackles without missing any. Outstanding.

2 points: Latrell Mitchell. A Hatrick of tries, looked dangerous given any space and combined well with Daniel Tupou. Only concern is his reads in defence need to get better. Made a few bad defensive decisions Saturday night but didn't get burned for them.

1 point: Daniel Tupou. 17 runs for 210 metres, 7 offloads, 1 line break and 2 try assists. Looked to put some of the worst of 2016 behind him. Combined incredibly well with Latrell Mitchell on the left side. Only concern is some of his passes in the second half were very poor, one of which after he was in the clear and a decent pass would have seen a try scored but he threw a one handed flick pass that was at ankle height and behind the support player. Also the kick and chase on the first tackle in the second half after we'd defended for what seemed like ages was another bad decision. All over a good game but needs to get those bad things out of his system.

I thought Mitchell Pearce and Michael Gordon were not far behind.

One thing I was perplexed at Connor Watson not getting any game time at all. When we were struggling in the second half, I think him being at dummy half would have helped re-ignite the side, especially when you consider how much energy Jake Friend used up in making 59 tackles in his 80 minutes of playing time.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Hmm, lots of votes here I see.

 

[Valheru]

I watched the replay and I can't disagree with you Apollo so x 2 for your votes.

I have to give a special mention to Daniel Tupou, he was awesome in the 9s and looked a new man and he has carried it in to the start of the season. I guess the drama around whether he would be re-signed was the catalyst for his poor form last year after all.

 

[Captain Apollo]

I watched the replay and I can't disagree with you Apollo so x 2 for your votes.

I have to give a special mention to Daniel Tupou, he was awesome in the 9s and looked a new man and he has carried it in to the start of the season. I guess the drama around whether he would be re-signed was the catalyst for his poor form last year after all.

Out of our squad, Tupou is probably the biggest example of a "confidence" player in the side. When he is in good spirits, he plays a blinder. When he has things bugging him and is down on confidence, he has a shocker. That is why I think Trent Robinson is the right coach to get the best out of him, he knows how to encourage and (when needed) mete out criticism but do it in a positive way and show how a player can improve.

If Tupou had been under say a Ricky Stuart or a Craig Bellamy I don't think he would have blossomed at all under tongue lashings form those types of coaches. It would have eroded if not destroyed his confidence.

 

[H.H]

Better late than never.

3 - Keary
2 - Pearce
1 - Mitchell