Check out the match preview and prediction for the round 25 clash between the Gold Coast Titans and Sydney Roosters.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Gold Coast Titans Vs Sydney Roosters
Venue: Cbus Super Stadium, Robina
Date: Sunday August 25, 2:00pm
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Titans: 1. Keano Kini 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Phillip Sami 5. Jojo Fifita 6. Jayden Campbell 7. Kieran Foran 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Sam Verrills 10. Jaimin Jolliffe 11. David Fifita 12. Beau Fermor 13. Chris Randall 14. AJ Brimson 15. Isaac Liu 16. Erin Clark 17. Klese Haas 18. Tanah Boyd 19. Keenan Palasia 20. Joe Stimson 21. Jacob Alick-Wiencke 22. Tony Francis
Roosters: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii 4. Joseph Manu 5. Dominic Young 6. Luke Keary 7. Sam Walker 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Angus Crichton 12. Victor Radley 13. Nat Butcher 14. Sandon Smith 15. Spencer Leniu 16. Sitili Tupouniua 17. Terrell May 18. Michael Jennings 19. Naufahu Whyte 20. Siua Wong 21. Zach Dockar-Clay 22. Robert Toia
Referee: Adam Gee
Embed from Getty ImagesMATCHDAY PREVIEW
With finals rapidly approaching, the Sydney Roosters travel up to the Gold Coast as they continue to hunt for a top two finish. In their way is a Titans side that is no longer in the finals hunt, but will still be hoping to play disruptor for other clubs’ ambitions.
Two changes have been made by Des Hasler to the side that went down 32-16 against the Dragons in Wollongong last weekend, with Moeaki Fotuaika returning from suspension at prop and Beau Fermor named to return from a bruised kidney in the back row. As a result, Erin Clark and Klese Haas drop back to the bench and Keenan Palasia and Josiah Pahulu drop out of the 17.
The big inclusion for Trent Robinson’s Roosters is Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, who returns from a four-match suspension in the front row, pushing Spencer Leniu back to the bench. Nat Butcher also returns to the side from a rib injury at lock, with Connor Watson out – having suffered a head knock in the victory against the Eels. Sandon Smith has also been named on the bench, with Naufahu Whyte and Siua Wong among the reserves.
While the Titans’ hopes of finals footy in 2024 are gone, the Roosters are safely locked into the top eight, but still with plenty to play for. Currently they sit third, equal with Cronulla and two points behind Penrith, but with a superior for-and-against. Breathing down their necks are Canterbury, Manly, and North Queensland. Victory against the Titans would keep their hopes of a top two finish alive, while other results could confirm a top four finish for the first time since 2020. Even a loss would see them remain fourth, but in danger of missing out on the double chance.
Matches between these two clubs have been dominated by the Roosters, who have won 16 of their 24 meetings since the Titans entered the premiership in 2007. Since 2016, they’ve become even more one-sided, with the Roosters on a 10-match winning streak, their longest current winning streak against any opponent. It’s also the Titans’ longest losing streak against any opponent in the club’s history.
It’s a similar story at Cbus Super Stadium, where the Roosters have won six of eight matches, including the past four straight.
Not only have the Roosters won their past 10 matches against the Titans, but they’ve done so by double-digit margins in more than half of those games. In their past 10 matches, the Roosters have scored 322 points and conceded just 170, winning by an average margin of 15.2.
With a forecast of 27 degrees for Sunday afternoon, the conditions will be perfect for a trip to the footy. A double header with the NRLW will no doubt bring in plenty of extra fans.
While the Titans have shown plenty of promise in the second half of the season, a Roosters side with seven wins in their past eight matches should get the job done.
Head-to-head stats can be found at Number Crunch Stats.
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Check out all the NRL Predictions here.
Roosters by 14 points.
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