After a narrow loss to a Sharks outfit in crisis last week, the Gold Coast Titans will be looking to get their first win of the year against a Canberra Raiders side that have had their own tumultuous week. Join us for live scores and commentary from 2.00pm AEDT.
The Raiders this week announced that star backs Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson have been sacked and stood down respectively following ongoing off-field indiscretions.
The troubled pair will be replaced by Reece Robinson and Edrick Lee in the starting line-up.
It’s poor timing for Raiders fans, who suffered through a dismal showing against the Panthers last week as the Green Machine proved why they’re one of the toughest teams to back on the road.
For the Titans’ part, they must be wondering why they keep getting drawn against clubs in turmoil. The Sea Eagles will no doubt be looking over their shoulder after drawing them in round three (as if they weren’t already).
But while the Sharks fielded a full strength lineup and must have felt they had something to prove, you get the sense that the Raiders are more in disarray, and it’s hard to imagine them taking the points off the Titans on the road.
Gold Coast surprised many pundits last week with the quality of their performance, even in defeat. The inexperienced halves pairing of Aidan Sezer and Albert Kelly showed some great signs.
Their big men looked hungry too, particularly Ryan James, Dave Taylor and Jamal Idris. With about 360 kilos between them, they’re going to take some stopping this year.
If Raiders are to be a chance today they’ll need a much better effort from their forwards, who struggled to make metres against the Panthers.
They tired quickly in the sweltering early-season heat, and the conditions at Robina are unlikely to be any better.
For mine, Gold Coast will be too good and will win this one comfortably.
Can the Titans get their first runs on the board for 2013, or will the Raiders shrug off their mid-week drama to post their own maiden victory of the year? Join us this afternoon at 2.00pm AEST for live score updates and debate on our live blog.
Silver_Sovereign
Guest
good win for the titans. I think its finals or bust this year, especially for carty. this team has had too much talent to miss out on the finals 2 years in a row. And hearing of the titans interest in dugan is a good thing, we have rehabilitated drunks, drug addicts and domestic abusers in the past, and need a good fullback
Adam
Roar Guru
No worries at all Matt, thanks for following along. Cheers.
Matt
Guest
Surely they'll win that one! Thanks for the commentary Adam.
Adam
Roar Guru
That concludes today's coverage of Titans vs. Raiders on The Roar. Thanks for following along, and stay tuned for two more big NRL games today!
Adam
Roar Guru
As for the Titans, they'll be happy with today's performance but tougher challenges await. Next week they'll face the Sea Eagles at Robina and they'll head into that match with a lot of confidence.
Adam
Roar Guru
Of course, there is some good news for Raiders fans -- next week you'll play the Dragons, and we all recognise that as rugby league's biggest hoodoo!
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Titans 36 - Raiders 0 Well, Ben Ikin's hyperbole aside, Sezer and Kelly WERE outstanding today, as were the Gold Coast's more experienced heads, particularly Bird, Myles and Harrison. Jamal Idris also showed plenty of good signs -- he looks sharper and fitter than in the last two years and we've seen enough from him in the opening rounds to suggest he'll be in for a big season. For the Raiders, a week of turmoil has resulted in one of their worst performances in recent memory (I won't say their worst, because they are prone to the odd shocker!). The fact is, they couldn't handle the hot conditions on the Gold Coast, and today's game will certainly provoke some discussion about the merits of playing games at 2pm at Robina in mid-March. That said, even the extreme conditions can be no excuse for the Raiders' performance today -- they were horrible, and it's back to the drawing board for David Furner.
Adam
Roar Guru
FULL-TIME Titans 36 - Raiders 0
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Titans 36 - Raiders 0 80' Not much to speak of in the final two minutes of play, both sides have shut up shop and the full-time siren blares in the background.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Titans 36 - Raiders 0 78' Williams grubbers, too much on it, Mead shadows it over the dead-ball line. Raiders look like they'll finish with duck egg here today.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Titans 36 - Raiders 0 77' Titans would love a clean sheet here, let's see what they've got!
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Titans 36 - Raiders 0 77' NO TRY. McCrone appears to have just got his toe to it before it hits the ground, so we'll come back for a line dropout after Kelly beat Croker to the ball to knock it across the dead-ball line.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Titans 36 - Raiders 0 77' VIDEO REFEREE! McCrone drops it on the toe, Croker chases it through, the refs have called no try. They're checking knock on from McCrone -- he appeared to drop it before he got his boot to it.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Titans 36 - Raiders 0 76' BIG HIT from Idris on Picker, that was massive! McCrone grubbers and it's off Taylor and back into Kelly, accidental offside, Raiders six again.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Titans 36 - Raiders 0 74' Zillman loses the ball from a kick return, so the Raiders will get the ball in attacking position here. Quality has dropped off from the Titans at the back end here.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Titans 36 - Raiders 0 73' Kelly grubbers through looking for Sezer, well cleaned up though by Wighton, Raiders back with the ball now.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Titans 36 - Raiders 0 72' It was a late shot from Learoyd-Lahrs and you'd think the Canberra front rower will be penalised for that. He has been -- Learoyd-Lahrs has been placed on report, in fact, the ref has deemed it a shoulder charge. Wasn't too much in it but it was definitely late, will see what the match review committee has to say.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Titans 36 - Raiders 0 72' Ryan James has stayed down here, refs are going upstairs to check the contact to see if there was anything untoward...
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Titans 36 - Raiders 0 71' No. Williams knocks on at first receiver. Like Brett McKay said earlier, stop the fight.
Adam
Roar Guru
Live score: Titans 36 - Raiders 0 70' Williams with a grubber for himself, it's knocked on by the Titans and the Raiders win six again. Attacking opportunity here, can they get on the scoreboard...