Saturday has three NRL matches with the second game for Round 25 is between Melbourne Storm and Gold Coast Titans with the opening kick to commence at 5.30pm local time. The game is to be played at AAMI Park with the favourite for the match being Melbourne Storm. View our NRL live scores, odds and results for the game between Melbourne Storm and Gold Coast Titans.
WHERE AND WHEN: AAMI Park, 5.30pm (EST) Saturday
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Opening odds comparison:
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| Melbourne Storm | 1.10 | 1.08 | 1.14 | 1.08 | 1.10 | N/A |
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Gold Coast Titans
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7.00 | 7.75 | 6.00 | 7.75 | 7.00 | N/A |
Preview:
The Gold Coast Titans play the Melbourne Strom on Saturday, 5.30pm at AAMI Park. The Storm should win here easily, although the Titans are on a high at the moment after upsetting the Roosters last round. While the Gold Coast are also a slight chance of making the finals, they too have to rely on the unlikely result of the Cowboys losing to the Tigers. With none of the Titans injured players returning for this game and hope of a finals berth unlikely, the Storm should be able to ride this one out.
Teams:
Melbourne Storm:
Billy Slater, Sisa Waqa, Will Chambers, Maurice Blair, Justin O’Neill, Brett Finch, Cooper Cronk, Jesse Bromwich, Cameron Smith (c), Bryan Norrie, Kevin Proctor, Ryan Hoffman, Ryan Hinchcliffe. Interchange: Jason Ryles, Tohu Harris, Jordan McLean, Kenny Bromwich, Tim Glasby (one to be omitted).
Gold Coast Titans:
Kevin Gordon, Steve Michaels, Brad Takairangi, Jordan Atkins, Anthony Don, Aidan Sezer, Albert Kelly, Luke Douglas, Beau Falloon, Ryan James, Greg Bird, Ben Ridge, Nate Myles. Interchange: David Taylor, Luke Bailey, Jamie Dowling, Matt Srama, Mark Ioane (one to be omitted).
Referees: Shayne Hayne, Gavin Morris.
Titans name Myles for crunch clash
Much to Nate Myles’ relief, no one mentioned the “s” word ahead of the Gold Coast Titans’ must-win NRL clash with Melbourne on Saturday.
But with a bit of luck, Myles’ Titans will be able to utter the “f” word after the top eight finally falls into place this weekend.
Myles was breathing a little easier after scans did not reveal a dreaded syndesmosis tear of the ankle, prompting the Titans to name their co-captain in their starting side for their last gasp finals push against the reigning premiers in Melbourne.
But Titans assistant Steve Murphy did not have to be told a lot more than Myles being passed fit has to go right for the Gold Coast to taste finals action for the first time in three seasons.
The 9th-placed Titans not only have to defeat the Storm in Melbourne but rely on either Newcastle (7th) or North Queensland (8th) losing to lock in a finals spot.
For now the Titans are simply keeping their fingers crossed Myles can play.
Mark Ioane is on standby for Myles who was still wearing a moon boot on Tuesday.
“He improved this morning. We are hopeful he will get through the week and take his place on the weekend,” Murphy said.
“If he is anywhere near right he will take his position knowing Nate.
“There is a bit of damage there with any ankle sprain but the extent of that is probably within his ability to endure pain and we know he can do that.
“He is desperate to get on the field.”
Murphy echoed veteran prop Luke Bailey’s call that the Titans had shown by last round’s shock win over the Sydney Roosters that they had the depth to cover Myles’ loss.
Despite being without the likes of Ashley Harrison, Mark Minichiello, Jamal Idris, William Zillman and David Mead, the Titans downed the Roosters in Sydney 30-22 – a win rated as arguably the greatest in their seven year history.
“The depth in the squad has proven to be more than formidable,” Murphy said.
He admitted Melbourne would be pumped up to “hit the ground running” into the finals after their last round loss to Manly.
But he said the Titans were not going to die wondering with the finals carrot dangling in front of them.
“It (finals) is there in the back of the mind,” he said.
“I am sure they will be looking at the finals thinking they should be there (if they miss out).”
Meanwhile, Murphy saluted the “remarkable” effort of Titans prop Luke Douglas who will equal Jason Taylor’s record of 194 consecutive NRL games this weekend.