Check out the match preview and prediction for the round 21 clash between the Titans and Roosters.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Gold Coast Titans Vs Sydney Roosters
Venue: CBUS Super Stadium
Date: Saturday 22 October, 3:00pm
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Titans: 1. AJ Brimson 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Jojo Fifita 5. Phillip Sami 6. Kieran Foran 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Sam Verrills 10. Isaac Liu 11. David Fifita 12. Klese Haas 13. Erin Clark 14. Jayden Campbell 15. Chris Randall 16. Joe Stimson 17. Jacob Alick 18. Iszac Fa’asumaleaui 19. Aaron Schoupp 20. Ken Maumalo 21. Kruise Leeming 22. Thomas Mikaele
Roosters: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Billy Smith 4. Joseph Manu 5. Joseph Suaalii 6. Luke Keary 7. Sandon Smith 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Jake Turpin 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Victor Radley 12. Nat Butcher 13. Nathan Brown 14. Brandon Smith 15. Egan Butcher 16. Siua Wong 17. Terrell May 18. Corey Allan 19. Dylan Napa 20. Drew Hutchison 21. Junior Pauga 22. Fletcher Baker
Referee: Adam Gee
Embed from Getty ImagesMATCHDAY PREVIEW
It will be a tense atmosphere on Saturday afternoon when the 12th-placed Gold Coast Titans go up against the 14th-placed Sydney Roosters at CBUS Stadium.
With both teams on equal points, it will be a clash that will see both trying to find the momentum and strength to prevent a further slide down towards the bottom of the ladder.
In what was a close match against the Parramatta Eels last weekend with a 25-24 scoreline, the Titans will need to continue to maintain the same confidence and skill in their play when they take on a full-strength Roosters side.
They will line up virtually unchanged, with a few minor reshuffles, the only player missing will be skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui due to a guilty plea of a shoulder charge on Reagan Campbell-Gillard. This will see him out for the next three games.
The Titans field an impressive backline with the return of captain AJ Brimson teaming up with Alofiana Khan-Pereira, and Phillip Sami.
Sami might be the player who stands out for the Titans this weekend, if he delivers a performance similar to the one he gave last weekend against the Eels. He demonstrated some blazing speed and remarkable yardage as he moved up the field, breaking away from the pack. Sami boasts a record 90 tackle breaks and an average of 170 running metres just this season.
The Titans will look to David Fifita and Isaac Liu in their forward pack to help fight off the Roosters and set up that winning playing combination.
Fifita having made 405 defensive tackles already this season and an average of 153 running metres, and Isaac Liu making 14 tackle breaks, 451 post-contact metres, and 428 defensive tackles, could assist the Titans in bringing home a win. They could try to change the situation and make this a match to remember for Fifita’s 100th NRL game.
Although the odds seemed to be stacked up against the Titans, having not beaten the Roosters at CBUS Super Stadium since 2016.
With a weakening in their defence and a failure to finish their sets, the Roosters’ previous match last weekend saw them slaughtered by a powerful Melbourne Storm side, going down 30-16.
The only luck the Roosters could look to is the fact that they have won their past nine games against the Titans, but they still need to maintain strength in their defensive lines.
The Roosters’ lineup will be adjusted as James Tedesco returns to his fullback position. He rested in Round 20. Tedesco’s presence could bring guidance, clarity in play, and cohesion, which the team lacked in their previous match against the Storm. Tedesco is considered one of the top players globally, and his stats back this up, with 74 tackle breaks and an average of 182 running meters this season.
The Titans will need to keep a close eye on the combination of Joseph Manu and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on the right side backs.
Manu poses some outstanding stats of 91 tackle breaks and 145 average running meters just this season combined with Aukuso Suaalii’s stats of 37 tackle breaks and 107 average running meters.
The Roosters forward pack with ‘the enforcer’ Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, and the fiery Nathan Brown, who excel in their post-contact metres and defensive tackles, could pose a problem for the Titans.
This will be a now or never match for both teams this weekend as they fight to maintain their position on the ladder.
LAST TEN MATCHES
Roosters 9, Titans 1
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Titans by 6 points.
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