The besieged Gold Coast enjoyed a day of respite from drama on Tuesday, welcoming the return of star backs Jamal Idris and David Mead for Saturday’s NRL showdown with the Sydney Roosters.
The Titans have endured a horror 2012 to date, losing four on the trot as the cash-strapped club struggles to stay afloat off the field, and they’ll be desperate for a change in fortune against the Roosters on Saturday.
They’ll be without the versatile Greg Bird, who suffered torn ankle ligaments while playing five-eighth against Canterbury but is hopeful of missing just two matches.
The Titans are resigned to losing Bird for the Roosters and Manly games but have eyed their round-eight clash with Brisbane, after the representative-round bye, for his potential return.
“He’s got a tear in a ligament in his ankle – so it’s around the four-to-six week mark but, hopefully, we’ll get him back after the bye,” coach John Cartwright said.
Mead (broken jaw), Idris (hamstring) and back-rower Mark Minichiello, who injured his ankle against the Bulldogs, will all have fitness tests later this week.
The Tigers will be boosted by the return of captain Robbie Farah and Test prop Keith Galloway, who has not played since injuring his foot in round one.
“It will be good having Robbie back, especially the direction around the ruck and the decision-making around there,” centre Chris Lawrence said.
Galloway needs to pass a fitness test on Thursday, and Lawrence said he would provide excellent support to young front-rowers Matt Groat and Aaron Woods, who have carried the load against far more experienced packs.
“And if we get big Keithy back, and we’ll find that out at the end of the week, that will be a great boost for us.
“Especially as a senior player up in the middle, he’ll definitely help the young props.”
The Sharks were dealt a blow on Tuesday, as they seek to win their fourth on the trot with victory over St George Illawarra, with classy hooker Isaac de Gois ruled out for a fortnight with a knee injury.
He is replaced by the experienced John Morris at No.9.
Manly welcome back captain Jamie Lyon, while key players Brett Stewart (ribs) and Kieran Foran (hamstring) have been named and will benefit from the longer turnaround for their Monday night clash with Penrith.
Talismanic Sea Eagles lock Glenn Stewart remains sidelined with a thumb injury, as does Brisbane’s Corey Parker.
Canberra coach David Furner has been forced to call on lower-grade players Jarrad Kennedy and Mark Nicholls to cover his forwards injury crisis, after forwards Brett White (ACL, season) and Joel Thompson (ankle, month) were ruled out.
Melbourne bring in Ryan Hinchcliffe to start in the second-row in place of Sika Manu, who will miss at least six weeks with an ankle injury.
Newcastle named five-eighth Tyrone Roberts to play his first match of the year, following Kurt Gidley’s latest knee injury and South Sydney have given Dave Taylor back his starting berth to step in for Sam Burgess (knee).
