The NRL season for 2018 will come to an end for the Gold Coast Titans and the North Queensland Cowboys when the teams face each other at CBUS Super Stadium on Saturday evening.
TEAM FORM GUIDE
Gold Coast Titans
The Gold Coast Titans are hoping to end their season at CBUS Super Stadium on a high note, after losing their match at the ground against the Storm last Saturday evening. Their season hasn’t been what they had hoped, winning just eight games all year. Their most recent win was against the Sea Eagles at Lottoland, where they won by eight points in a high scoring affair.
North Queensland Cowboys
The Cowboys have had a surprising season. In the beginning we were discussing their premiership hopes for 2018, however they were recently in a battle for the wooden spoon. They were successful in their match against the Eels last weekend, winning 44 points to six in Johnathan Thurston’s final game at 1300SMILES Stadium. In his last game of his career, the Cowboys will be hoping to send him out with a win.
SQUAD NEWS
Gold Coast Titans
Ahead of the clash against the Cowboys, Titans coach Garth Brennan has named the same squad that took to the field last week.
North Queensland Cowboys
Te Maire Martin returns to the side after being kept on the sideline last weekend due to an ankle injury. He will partner with Thurston in the halves for his final game. Shaun Fensom returns to the interchange bench after being absent since round 21. Jake Clifford has been included in the reserves.
PREVIEW
In an all Queensland clash at CBUS Super Stadium, the Titans will host the Cowboys who are celebrating the farewell of Johnathan Thurston on Saturday evening.
Neither side has had the season they had hoped for, finishing close to the bottom of the ladder. The Titans have won just one more game than the Cowboys this year, neither passing ten victories for the season. Regardless, both the Titans and the Cowboys will be hopeful to steal a victory as they close the door on the 2018 season and look onto their off-season and the 2019 season.
The big talking point of this match is obviously the fact that it is Johnathan Thurston’s final career game. Despite not having the season of their dreams, the Cowboys put together a fantastic performance against the Eels last weekend to celebrate JT’s final appearance in Cowboys colours on the field at 1300SMILES Stadium. The Cowboys will no doubt wish to send him off with a victory against the Titans.
The Titans lost at home last weekend to the Storm, however didn’t keep themselves out of the contest, keeping the score to a low eight points to 10. In their final game of the season, the side will be hoping to at CBUS Super Stadium in front of their devoted fans and members.
The game is likely to be a tight contest and an entertaining Queensland clash to end the season of both Gold Coast and North Queensland.
SQUADS
Gold Coast Titans
1. Alexander Brimson 2. Anthony Don 3. Konrad Hurrell 4. Brenko Lee 5. Phillip Sami 6. Kane Elgey 7. Ash Taylor 8. Jarrod Wallace 9. Nathan Peats 10. Ryan James 11. Kevin Proctor 12. Keegan Hipgrave 13. Jai Arrow Interchange: 14. Mitch Rein 15. Moeaki Fotuaika 16. Jack Stockwell 17. Will Matthews
North Queensland Cowboys
1. Ben Hampton 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Justin O’Neill 4. Kane Linnett 5. Gideon Gela-Mosby 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Johnathan Thurston (C) 8. Matt Scott (C) 9. Jake Granville 10. Jordan McLean 11. Gavin Cooper 12. Coen Hess 13. Jason Taumalolo Interchange: 14. Ethan Lowe 15. John Asiata 16. Shaun Fensom 17. Scott Bolton
THE IMPORTANT DETAILS
Date: Saturday, September 1
Venue: Cbus Super Stadium
Kick-off: 5:30PM
WHO WILL WIN?
It will be a tight contest between the two sides, both wanting final victories for the 2018 season. The Titans will want to win at home in front of their fans while the Cowboys want to send Thurston out a winner. Cowboys by 1.
