The Stats Zone
· Trystan Pugh

2018 NRL – Gold Coast Titans vs Newcastle Knights Preview

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AT A GLANCE

When? Saturday 19th May, 06:00 (UK)

Where? Cbus Super Stadium

What channel is it on? UK - Sky Sports Arena
Australia - Foxtel, LIVE PASS

Where can I stream the match? UK - Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match online via Sky Go

Australia - https://www.telstra.com.au/tv-movies-music/sports-offer

Are tickets still available? http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/Show.aspx?sh=TIT1118

THE STATISTICS

THE LOWDOWN

TITANS

Head Coach: Garth Brennan

Starting 13: Gordon, Don, Copley, Lee, Sami, Brimson, Taylor, Wallace, Peats, King, James, Proctor, Arrow – Interchanges: Rein, Stockwell, Fotuaika, Cartwright – Reserves: Hurrell, Boyle

Unavailable: Kyle Flanagan, Ryan Simpkins

  • Gold Coast did it tough last week as they were reduced to just one man left on interchange bench after a string of injuries against Melbourne. The lack of options proved crucial with the Storm able to take advantage and run out 28-14 winners.

  • The Titans have received a boost with hooker Nathan Peats returning to the side. Mitch Rein drops to the bench whilst Jai Arrow has also recovered from a rib injury to take his place at lock that has resulted Jarrod Wallace reverting to prop.

  • Gold Coast have averaged 33.9 missed tackles per game so far this season, leading to them being the team that has conceded the highest number of points in the NRL so far this season with 267 points scored against them.

KNIGHTS

Head Coach: Nathan Brown

Starting 13: Ponga, Sio, S. Mata'utia, Ross, Kenny-Dowall, Watson, Lamb, Ese’ese, Griffin, King, Fitzgibbon, Barnett, Guerra – Interchanges: Levi, J. Saifiti, D. Saifiti, Buhrer – Reserves: Lillyman, Denniss

Unavailable: Nick Meaney, Tautau Moga, Mitchell Pearce

  • Newcastle conceded an early try against Penrith last week and were subsequently behind for the rest of the game. The Panthers bagged a try in the third-minute and took control of the game from that point on with them managing to keep the Knights at bay 18-29.

  • Chris Heighington was named on the bench but has been dropped with Jamie Buhrer taking his place on the bench.

  • The Knights made five line breaks last week as well as busting 40 tackles but couldn’t convert their chances with some sloppy turnovers that shifted the momentum of the game as they made double the number of errors that the Panthers made.

THE PREDICTION

Two of the off-season wooden spoon favourites meet on the Gold Coast as the Titans host the Knights. Newcastle played some good stuff against Penrith last week but the Panthers were more clinical with ball-in-hand. The Titans also didn’t take their chances as the Storm pulled away towards the end of the game with Gold Coast short on numbers off the bench. The Titans have lost five on the spin as they sit just one place above bottom place and could be staring down the barrel of another loss here if the Knights can fix up their untidy errors from last week’s performance.

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