Thankfully for the Titans there’s only 80 minutes to go in the 2014 season, a season that started brightly for the Gold Coast team but since round 9, has been on a slippery slope down.
A significant injury toll has seen the Titans win only two games since then and they suffered their sixth consecutive defeat last week at the hands of the Warriors – 42 – nil.
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The Titans have conceded at least 24 points in all bar one game in their past six outings and with the Bulldogs coming off solid performances in the past three weeks, combined with the Titans appalling home record this year (2 – 9, they’ve lost their last eight games at home), it’s hard to see anything but a comfortable Bulldogs win here.
Whilst the Titans welcome back Dave Taylor and Luke Bailey, they’ll be missing the suspended Greg Bird and injured Cody Nelson.
Having lost four in row from round 19 to 22, the Bulldogs were steadily sliding their way outside of the eight and needed to turn their form around.
A gritty win over the Eels in round 23, consolidated by a comfortable 30 – 10 win over the struggling Tigers, their first 13 + win in their past six victories, steadied their ship.
Last week they pushed the premiership favourites South Sydney all the way, leading all bar the last ten minutes. It was a typically traditional physical effort from the Bulldogs, a style which they’ve returned to with success after their run of outs.
The Bulldogs have had the luxury of playing their seven of their last nine games at their home venue, ANZ Stadium. In fact, this will be only the third time this year, and their first since round 10, that they’ve had to travel interstate.
However the road doesn’t bother the Bulldogs who have a winning 7 – 4 record this year and it certainly hasn’t been of a concern to other team that have visited the Gold Coast this year.
Sitting on seventh spot on the ladder, right in the middle of the traffic jam for the final two spots, the Dogs need to win this and should.
Josh Reynolds returns to the five-eight role after serving his suspension with Moses Mbye back to the bench.
HEAD TO HEAD
Somewhat surprisingly, the overall ledger is locked at five wins apiece between these two clubs, with the Titans posting wins in the two most recent clashes.
However this season has been an exceptional to the rule for the Titans and with the Bulldogs in need of a good win heading into the finals, we can expect them to put to finally put the miserable Titans’ season to rest.
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Gold Coast Titans:
William Zillman, Kalifa Faifai Loa, James Roberts, Brad Takairangi, Anthony Don, Aidan Sezer, Daniel Mortimer, Luke Bailey, Beau Falloon, Matthew White, Mark Minichiello, Dave Taylor, Paul Carter. Interchange: Mark Ioane, Tom Kingston, Steve Michaels, David Mead, Maurice Blair
Ins: Luke Bailey, Dave Taylor, Maurice Blair
Outs: Greg Bird (suspension, season), Cody Nelson (hamstring, season)
Other unavailables: Brad Tighe (groin, season), Beau Henry (PCL, season), Jamie Dowling (knee, season), Ryan James (shoulder, season), Ben Ridge (shoulder, season), Kevin Gordon (knee, season), Matt Srama (hip, season), Nate Myles (shoulder, season), Caleb Binge (knee, season), Luke Douglas (ASADA ban, season)
Canterbury Bulldogs:
Sam Perrett, Corey Thompson, Josh Morris, Timoteo Lafai, Mitch Brown, Josh Reynolds, Trent Hodkinson, Aiden Tolman, Michael Ennis, James Graham, Josh Jackson, Tony Williams, Greg Eastwood. Interchange: Reni Maitua, David Klemmer, Pat O’Hanlon, Moses Mbye, Harlan Alaalatoa
Ins: Josh Reynolds, Harlan Alaalatoa
Outs: Dale Finucane (suspension, finals week one)
Other unavailables: Lloyd Perrett (ankle, finals week three), Sam Kasiano (ankle, season), Chase Stanley (shoulder, finals week one), Tim Browne (depressed skull fracture, finals week one), Frank Pritchard (pectoral, season), Jacob Loko (knee, indefinite)
