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The Gold Coast Titans have shown resilience in overcoming a fast start from the Canberra Raiders, coming back in the second half from 18 points down.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Gold Coast Titans 30
Canberra Raiders 28
The Hayne plane has officially departed and with that 2018 can finally begin as the Gold Coast Titans square off with the Canberra Raiders from CBUS Super Stadium to kick off the respective NRL campaigns for either team. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 6:30pm AEDT.
With a new coach and fresh faces, the Gold Coast Titans look rejuvenated and set to start their 2018 campaign under Garth Brennan on the front foot.
Recruiting some prized players in key positions over the offseason and placing off-field drama with the likes of Hayne in the rear-view mirror, Brennan hopes to achieve the most out of a young roster, one that Brennan has promised to bring a brand of entertaining football to the competition in 2018.
Bryce Cartwright (Penrith) and Jai Arrow (Brisbane) are two recruits who claim starting jerseys for Brennan’s side coming into round one, with plenty of intrigue as to how the pair will form a new foundation for the Gold Coast forward pack.
Ash Taylor has been earmarked as one of the best players of generation next and will need to repay the faith Brennan and the Titans faithful have shown in handing him the reigns to the squad.
His combinations with the likes of Anthony Don, NSW Origin hooker Nathan Peats and Bryce Cartwright will push this team to achieve beyond expectations in 2018.
Canberra come into 2018 on the back of missing out on a finals berth, much to their own doing. A side that boasts talent of international proportions, the green machine looks hungry to taste the success they missed last year.
Ricky Stuart will have to have his side firing from the opening whistle if the Raiders are to be competitive in 2018.
Selection issues will need to be ironed out in the opening weeks to form chemistry for the season ahead with Josh Hodgson on the sidelines thanks to an ACL injury picked up playing for England at the World Cup.
Ricky Stuart marks his 100th clash in charge of the Raiders with the game against the Gold Coast, all the more reason to be itching to get 2018 off to the best possible start.
The likes of Jack Wighton, Sam Williams and Aidan Sezer will need to have big years in order to bring this club forward.
The firepower up front with Josh Papalii and Joseph Tapine is there, the question remains how badly do they want to play in September.
Two sides at opposite ends of the spectrum: A fresh faced Titans side, hoping to ride the waves of change with Brennan and Ash Taylor and a Canberra side eager to live up to expectation, yet with a feeling surrounding the squad of September of bust as their premiership window begins to come unstuck.
Head to head the two sides have played 20, with Titans winning 11, Canberra winning 9.
Prediction
With a dismal record at home last year, the Titans will start 2018 on the right foot with a win over Canberra.
For me, there are just too many question marks over a Canberra side with doubts on key personnel at key positions this early in the season.
2018 will lay the building blocks for the future of the Titans franchise and Ash Taylor will show the NRL why the Gold Coast can become a free-market destination in the years to come.
Titans by 6
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 6:30pm AEDT.
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