· Tom
2018 NRL – North Queensland Cowboys vs Gold Coast Titans Preview
AT A GLANCE
When? Saturday 21st April, 10:35 (UK)
Where? 1300SMILES Stadium
What channel is it on? UK - Sky Sports Action 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-...
Are tickets still available? http://premier.ticketek.com.au...
THE STATISTICS
THE LOWDOWN
COWBOYS
Head Coach: Paul Green
Starting 13: Coote, Feldt, O'Neill, Hampton, Winterstein, Morgan, Thurston, Scott, Granville, Bolton, Cooper, Hess, Taumalolo – Interchanges: Martin, Asiata, Jensen, Lowe – Reserves: Molo, Bowen, Tuala, Clifford
Unavailable: Josh Chudleigh, Shaun Fensom, Kane Linnett, Jordan McLean
- North Queensland’s miserable start to the season continued as they fell to a poor defeat at home to Canterbury. The Cowboys looked a shadow of the team that reached the Grand Final last year as they fell to a 10-27 defeat.
- Paul Green has named the same 17 from last week’s loss and will be looking for a big response from his troops.
- The Cowboys continue to make too many errors and last week was no different. They completed just 26 of their 39 sets (67%) with them making 14 errors throughout the game.
TITANS
Head Coach: Garth Brennan
Starting 13: Gordon, Don, Sami, Hurrell, Roberts-Davis, Elgey, Taylor, Wallace, Rein, James, Proctor, Matthews, Aarow – Interchanges: King, Cartwright, Stockwell, Hipgrave – Reserves: Boyle, Simpkins, Lee, Elliot
Unavailable: Kyle Flanagan, Nathan Peats, Dale Copley
- Gold Coast were comfortably beaten by Penrith last week as the Panthers proved too good. The Titans couldn’t stop the Panthers with them scoring a try almost every 10 minutes from the 25 minute mark when they crossed for their first as Gold Coast went down 35-12.
- The Titans have had to make several changes this week with Dale Copley and Nathan Peats missing out through injuries. Phillip Sami shifts to centre from the wing, allowing Tyronne Roberts-Davis to come into the side. Mitch Rein starts at hooker whilst Ryan James returns from suspension with Keegan Hipgrave also replacing Ryan Simpkins.
- Gold Coast were overrun last week with Penrith proving too strong on both sides of the ball. Penrith made 1,898 metres, a huge difference to Gold Coast’s 1,174. The Titans will be concerned at conceding so many metres and must contain the Cowboys this week.
THE PREDICTION
North Queensland Cowboys sit just one place above the bottom of the table through Round 6, something that would have been unthinkable at the start of the season. Last season’s beaten Grand Finalists haven’t got going yet this season, despite the return of co-captains Matt Scott and Johnathan Thurston. Gold Coast have enjoyed a better start to the season but were comprehensively beaten by Penrith last week. The Cowboys were poor last week and will expect a big reaction this week with them not wanting to lose too much ground on the top 8, even at this stage of the season. The Titans will be competitive but will come up against a better Cowboys side this week who can claim just their second win of the season.
