Expert
The Gold Coast Titans have continued a late-season revival with a 20-point win over the Cronulla Sharks in extremely wet conditions.
Final score
Gold Coast Titans 30
Cronulla Sharks 10
After a stunning win in the corresponding match earlier this season, the Gold Coast Titans will need to find a way to knock over the Cronulla Sharks again if they are to keep their season alive. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:30pm (AEST).
The Titans weren’t supposed to get close to the Sharks when the sides met in Round 8, but a fantastic comeback victory away from home gave their season a much-needed boost.
Injuries have cruelled the Gold Coast’s season, but the excuse only goes so far. They have fought hard, but have been lacking in a lot of basics, and it shows on the ladder. Neil Henry’s men now sit in 14th place with just six wins from their 16 games.
Given the qualification for finals football is going to be at least 28 points and more than likely 30, a loss here would turn every remaining game into a must-win situation.
The Titans have won two on the trot coming into this game, but the Tigers and struggling Dragons don’t say a whole lot, especially when they got smashed by the Rabbitohs the week before.
They make too many mistakes. It’s simple errors cruelling them, and if they can cut that out they have a big chance at getting into contests.
Luckily for the Titans ahead of this game, if there is one team who makes more errors and makes life tough for themselves, it’s the Sharks.
The Sharks have managed to put themselves on the back foot in just about every game this season. Silly penalties, bad errors and a general lack of patience in attack – something they did extremely well last year – have all gone out the window.
Instead, they seem to be trying to score on every set of six, and only their strong defence and will to come from behind and win contests is keeping them at the pointy end of the ladder.
The form of James Maloney has major question marks over it, and if he can’t stand up the Sharks making a deep run in September is up in the air.
The Sharks do sit in second place on 26 points, just one or two wins from qualification for the finals.
A win over the Sydney Roosters was as impressive as it gets leading into the bye, and if they can continue that form the chance of being beaten appears slim.
In team news, Kurt Capewell is onto the reserves for the Sharks, while James Segeyaro is a chance at playing and fixing the Sharks hooking conundrum. The Titans, meanwhile are unchanged.
Prediction
Despite the Sharks favouritism for the clash, the Titans are going to be desperate, and that’s when they have been at their best this season. Cronulla are still yet to be thoroughly convincing, so I’ll take the Titans at home in a close one.
Titans by 2.
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