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After three consecutive years without finals footy, the Gold Coast are desperate for success in 2014.
As the Titans enter their eighth year in the NRL, they have only made the finals on two occasions (2009, 2010).
The Gold Coast went from preliminary finalists in 2010 to 2011 wooden spooners and have been on the decline since, finishing 11th (2012) and ninth (2013).
This is the year that they have to step it up. If the Titans finish anywhere but the top eight this year, it could spell trouble for coach John Cartwright.
This is especially the case with the club signing Neil Henry as an assistant to Cartwright after he was dumped by the Cowboys last year.
The Titans have signed speed this year by adding the likes of Brad Tighe (Penrith), Kalifa Faifai Loa (North Queensland), Maurice Blair (Melbourne), Christian Hazard (South Sydney) and Suiatonga Likiliki (Newcastle).
All these are capped off by promising youngster Paul Carter (Canterbury).
But where there are gains there are always losses with the Coast losing big gun Jamal Idris (Penrith), Marmin Barba (Broncos) and Jordan Rankin (Hull FC).
The release of Jamal Idris leaves seven players fighting for centre positions: Tighe, Brad Takarangi, Maurice Blair, Faifai Loa, Jamie Dowling and Likiliki.
The Titans under-20s have not been the best team in the Holden Cup.
In fact they have struggled massively, making a lone finals appearance in 2010 and losing to South Sydney in Week 1.
With their first grade halves relatively sorted, youngster Christian Hazard should get the starting half spot for their Holden Cup team.
Losing Hymel Hunt to the Strom has hurt their Holden Cup chances.
While the Cowboys have done well the last few years by making the finals, I think that the Titans will top them as well as the Broncos and become Queensland’s highest placed team in 2014.
They have the players, the staff and the determination to go far in the competition and well into the finals in 2014.
Likely Titans team:
1.William Zillman
2.Kevin Gordon
3.Brad Takarangi/ Maurice Blair
4.Kalifa Faifai Loa
5.David Mead
6.Aiden Sezer
7.Albert Kelly
8.Ryan James
9.Beau Falloon
10.Nate Myles
11.Greg Bird
12.David Taylor
13.Ashley Harrison
14.Luke Douglas
15.Mark Ioane
16.Mark Minichello
17.Paul Carter/Matt Srama
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