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The Gold Coast Titans and Wests Tigers will be looking to leave recent woes behind them as they get their 2015 premiership seasons underway at Robina Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:00pm (AEST).
The Titans come into this match as a club in disarray after being taken over by the NRL following voluntary administration last week, on the heels of a police drug-sting implicating several of their high-profile players.
The Tigers had their own dramas last year but with a new coach and the rise of the youth brigade, will be hoping that some off-field stability will bring some much needed success on the field.
Gold Coast will be without several players, including representative stars Greg Bird and Dave Taylor. With little to fill the void, coach Neil Henry will be looking to the experience of representative enforcer Nate Myles to lead his team through the sporting trenches.
Tigers coach Jason Taylor will be hoping that the injury curse doesn’t strike and that the mesmerising potential of youngsters like Luke Brooks and James Tedesco will be realised.
The Titans’ last premiership match was a dramatic, one-point victory over eventual grand finalists Canterbury in Round 26 last year. Wests overcame wooden spooners Cronulla in the same round, after enduring thrashings by several clubs in the rounds leading up to it.
That all counts for nothing in what truly is a new season for both clubs as they look to show the value of a stable front office.
Expansion critics will be out in force if Gold Coast don’t at least put some heart into this match, while joint-venture club Wests Tigers need to do the same after years of a divided house.
Myles, with a head harder than the troubles his club faces, will be the rock for his teammates to rally around, while high-profile recruit Josh Hoffman needs to show the world – and incumbent fullback William Zillman – why he is the man for the position.
For the Tigers, the pressure will be on the young halves pairing of Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks to steer the team around the park. Watch out for Tedesco to run riot through a potentially distracted defence.
Prediction
The big question will be how the Gold Coast deal with their off-field dramas. Playing at home, the desperation of their situation may see the Titans put up an emotional resistance. If they can target the Tigers’ halves and expose any defensive liabilities, Gold Coast may have a chance.
However, it is hard to go past the talent and stability of a regrouped Wests Tigers.
Tigers by 14.
Join The Roar from 7pm (AEST) for score updates and debate in our live blog.
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