The Titans have all but fallen into the finals on the
very last day of competition, but not entirely through their own good work.
However, of the last three sides vying for the last place in the top 8, the
Titans were arguably the most consistent and deserving.
Why They Can
Win
The Underdog Tag – The Titans play a relatively simple
and composed style of football. They are a patient side who aren’t afraid to
work hard. Because they’ve only just snuck into the top 8, they will be seen as
the weakest link and easy beats, compared to the other 7 sides. Complacency is
a killer in finals football, and the Titans are a side who do make the most of
opportunities provided from teams not taking them seriously.
Why They Can’t
Form. The Titans have just 2 wins and a draw from the 11
games they’ve played against the seven teams above them on the ladder. They
beat Canberra back in Round 4 when the Raiders were very inconsistent, and a
four point win over Penrith in Round 11. They pulled off a hard fought and very
impressive 18 all draw with then competition leaders Cronulla, who had won 15
straight games prior to that game. Since that game though, they have struggled,
winning 2 of 5 games, against the Tigers by 1 point and the last placed
Newcastle by 20.
Key Player
Ashley Taylor. The rookie halfback has been nothing short
of impressive this year. Thrown in the deep end at the start of the season when
first choice half Kane Elgey suffered a season ending knee injury before their
first game, the young half has improved immensely this year and has steered his
side around the park very well. He has formed a good combination with new
recruit Tyrone Roberts.
Squad Health
The Titans have a few injuries to key playmakers, however
some of them have been missing all year and they have managed to reach the
finals largely without them. Nathan Davis (leg), Kane Elgey (knee), Karl Lawton
(leg), Daniel Mortimer (hamstring) and Matt Srama (knee) are all out for the
season.
Finals Record
The Titans have only appeared in 4 finals matches to
date, losing two games in the 2009 series. They last appeared in the 2010
series where they won their opening game against the Warriors before losing
their last finals game to the Roosters.
Run Home
The Titans come up against Brisbane on Friday night to
open the finals series. Their record against the Broncos is very poor, having
won just 5 of their 20 clashes. It’s even worse when playing at Suncorp, where
despite winning their first game against the Broncos there, they have lost the
last nine straight, with the last seven losses all being by a margin of at
least 14 points.
**This article appeared on the Commentary Box Sports website**
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.