Four weeks ago the St George-Illawarra Dragons got the better of the Gold Coast Titans. Will they continue their dominance on Easter Sunday?
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Gold Coast Titans Vs St George-Illawarra Dragons
Venue: CBus Super Stadium
Date: Sunday April 9, 4:05pm
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Titans: 1. Jayden Campbell 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Aaron Schoupp 5. Phillip Sami 6. Toby Sexton 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Chris Randall 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 11. David Fifita 12. Joe Stimson 13. Isaac Liu 14. Erin Clark 15. Jo Vuna 16. Iszac Fa’asumaleaui 17. Klese Haas 18. Sam McIntyre 19. Kruise Leeming 20. Jojo Fifita 21. Keano Kini 22. Treymain Spry
Dragons: 1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Moses Suli 4. Zac Lomax 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Talatau Amone 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 9. Jacob Liddle 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Ben Murdoch-Masila 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack Bird 14. Moses Mbye 15. Jack de Belin 16. Toby Couchman 17. Josh Kerr 18. Michael Molo 19. Tautau Moga 20. Zane Musgrove 21. Jayden Sullivan 22. Jaiyden Hunt
Referee: Peter Gough
Embed from Getty ImagesMATCHDAY PREVIEW
In round 2 it was the Dragons coming off the bye who met the Titans and recorded victory. Only defending premiers Penrith have not won after the bye.
With a home fixture and a fifteen-day break, will the Gold Coast Titans be fresh or will lack of football cost them?
The Titans will be without AJ Brimson and Kieran Foran when they take on the St George-Illawarra Dragons on Easter Sunday.
Brimson (hamstring) and Foran (calf) weren’t named in Justin Holbrook’s squad when the teams were announced on Tuesday.
Coming in for Foran is Toby Sexton who will play his first game for the Titans this year. In 2021, Sexton made his debut against the Dragons and announced himself on the NRL stage in spectacular fashion, scoring a try and six goals as the Titans recorded victory 32-10.
Meanwhile, Jayden Campbell will replace Brimson at the back after starting all four matches in 2023 from the bench.
On top of Sam Verrills’ collarbone injury, the Titans look a lot different then what Holbrook was hoping with Campbell, Sexton, Boyd, and ex-Knight Chad Randall making up the spine.
One positive for the Titans in 2023 is Alofiana Khan-Pereira who in his rookie season has been outstanding and with five tries in four games and could prove the difference between the two sides in attack.
With reports that Anthony Griffin had “weeks” to save his NRL career, the Dragons responded against the Dolphins in Wollongong, a game which could have been tricky given the newcomers looking to bounce back from their loss to the Broncos, without key playmaker Sean O’Sullivan.
The Dragons side Griffin’s named is virtually a carbon copy of their round 2 side that won 32-18 except for Jacob Liddle as starting hooker and Talatau Amone replacing Jayden Sullivan. Like most weeks, Ben Hunt becomes the key to victory and how he plots to dismantle the Titans defence.
They Titans be looking to reverse their recent history against the Red V which has only seen them win three of their last ten clashes.
LAST TEN MATCHES
Gold Coast Titans 3, St George-Illawarra Dragons 7
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Dragons by 10 points.
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