Roar Guru
FULL-TIME SCORE: Titans 13 – Cowboys 12
So…what is it with the Cowboys that they simply cannot get things right early in the season? You just know they’re going to come home with a wet sail this season – they’ve done it so many times before.
Tonight, however, they were pretty terrible – they could not hold onto the ball, their attack looked disjointed and for the Titans it was really just a matter of Aidan Sezer taking control late in the contest with a strong kicking game and a winning field goal. The Cowboys managed to claw a try back late in the game – it came after the siren and went through pretty much every hand in the team before Tate found some space on the right and threw it back inside before Scott crossed under the posts.
It’s an all-Queensland battle as the slow-starting North Queensland Cowboys take on the gritty Gold Coast Titans. Join us for live scores and commentary from 7:30pm AEDT.
After winning the inaugural Auckland Nines, the Cowboys entered the NRL season with high expectations. Instead they’ve managed two losses and one unconvincing win over heavy underdogs the Raiders.
It’s a familiar story for Cowboys fans, who know they have the cattle to be a top-four team but all too often find themselves struggling early on.
The Titans, meanwhile, have managed two narrow wins to kick off 2014, though an injury-ravaged Sharks and a below-average Raiders could hardly be called prized scalps. Add their dismal performance against the Wests Tigers in Round 2 and the jury is still out as to whether the Titans could play finals football this year.
In a blow to the Titans, fullback William Zillman is out this week, while key playmaker and goalkicker Aidan Sezer is also at long odds to play.
It will place even more pressure on exciting halfback Albert Kelly, who has four tries already this season, as well as veteran forwards Greg Bird and Nate Myles, both of whom have been standouts in the Titans’ two wins. Bird in particular was very good last week – his impact and importance to his side becoming more and more like that of NSW Origin teammate Paul Gallen to the Sharks.
Unlike their opponents tonight, the Cowboys will field the same 17 that started against the Warriors last week.
The Titans’ edge defence was very good against the Raiders, but it will have to be even better with the likes of Gavin Cooper, Jason Taumololo and Tariq Sims all running wide for the Cowboys.
They also have plenty of playmaking options with Johnathan Thurston, Robert Lui and fullback Michael Morgan all noted ball players.
Add the impact of representative front rowers Matthew Scott and James Tamou and I definitely think the Cowboys will be too strong here.
North Queensland by 20.