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Round 1: TITANS vs RAIDERS (2018)

Jai Arrow guaranteed place in Titans round one team despite arrival of Bryce Cartwright
https://www.foxsports.com.au/

That’s the guarantee Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan has given despite the arrival of Bryce Cartwright last week casting doubt over Arrow’s place in the team.

Cartwright had been on the Gold Coast for less than 24 hours before he assumed the lock forward position at pre-season training, the position Arrow seemed certain to fill following his off-season switch from the Broncos.

Brennan wants to give Cartwright a roving commission to play both sides of the ruck and through the middle, a role far removed from the one the industrious Arrow would have performed in his place.

'We had a close relationship''We had a close relationship'0:46
Known for his fitness and high workrate, Arrow has played 12 NRL games for the Broncos in each of the past two seasons and moved south to the Gold Coast to secure a regular place in the starting side.

The unexpected arrival of Cartwright from the Panthers last week immediately placed Arrow’s position in jeopardy but Brennan told foxsports.com.au that the 22-year-old has done everything required to earn a spot in Brennan’s round one team.

“It doesn’t affect Jai Arrow one little bit,” Brennan said of Cartwright joining the team.

“Jai Arrow is probably been my standout trainer, my standout player for the whole pre-season.

“Jai Arrow will be in my team somewhere I can guarantee you that.

“I love him, and you can quote me on that.

“He’s trained the house down, he’s done everything right.

“There’ll be no issue about Jai Arrow finding a spot in my team.”

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Finding a place for both Arrow and Cartwright will be easier for Brennan in the opening rounds as he juggles a forward pack that could be missing four prop forwards due to suspension and injury.

Giant 21-year-old Morgan Boyle is the latest on the injured list after heavy contact at training not only resulted in a cut to the head but the resulting fall to the ground causing a partial dislocation of the shoulder.

Titans medical staff remain confident they can rehab the injury in time for round one but Brennan said he won’t be rushed back until he has recovered completely.

With Jarrod Wallace and Keegan Hipgrave both suspended for round one and Jack Stockwell tracking for a return from shoulder surgery in the first month of the season, Brennan will be required to get creative in the middle third of the field.

Captain-elect Ryan James has been training on the left edge all summer but could shift back into the front row in the early rounds while second-year front-rower Max King could also earn an early shot.

“It’s possible, that’s something that we’ve got up our sleeve,” Brennan said of James starting the season in the middle.

“There are some other options there I might have, moving certain guys into that middle role more so than an edge but Ryan can do that, I know he can do that.

“I’m fairly confident in the stocks we’ve got. Jack Stockwell’s flying at the moment, his rehab is coming along really, really well.

“He won’t make round one but he could come back earlier than a month into the season. He’s flying at the moment which is really promising.

“It’s not ideal having ‘J Wal’ (Wallace) and Keegan Hipgrave suspended but you’ve got Maxy King who did a fantastic job there last year.

“Jai Arrow can push up there and do a little bit of a job if Bryce does play that 13 role and then you’ve got ‘Dark’ (James) as well.”
 
Can't get tickets. Ticketek keeps sending me to the return game in May.

Edit: now working
 
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If Cartwright gets the gig at 13 where do you think Arrow will play?
Can he play 8/10 for the first couple of rounds possibly or on a edge?
 
I asked the Club recently what the Curtain Raisers will be to First Grade this year and I got a reply which I’m very thankful and grateful For which in a very well worded and polite way could be summarised as “we don’t know”.
 
Mr Bods said:
I asked the Club recently what the Curtain Raisers will be to First Grade this year and I got a reply which I’m very thankful and grateful For which in a very well worded and polite way could be summarised as “we don’t know”.
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The NRL is making it less worthwhile to go and spend a day at the footy. Why would you travel any sort of distance and possibly be at the ground for less than 2 hours.
That said I don't really want to watch the under 20's rubbish. Having our "reserve" players playing in the curtain raiser rather than having them scattered among a number of QCup sides is crap. Bring back the traditional reserve grade so we can see how the next in line are going, but that horse has bolted I'm afraid.
 
Mexican titan said:
The NRL is making it less worthwhile to go and spend a day at the footy. Why would you travel any sort of distance and possibly be at the ground for less than 2 hours.
That said I don't really want to watch the under 20's rubbish. Having our "reserve" players playing in the curtain raiser rather than having them scattered among a number of QCup sides is crap. Bring back the traditional reserve grade so we can see how the next in line are going, but that horse has bolted I'm afraid.
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I loved watching the U20 competition. Not because it was remotely an indication of a player ready for NRL, nor was it even close to NRL, but I found it to be particularly entertaining in its own right. I highly doubt the HD comp will make its way to CBUS though.

I think the ISC feeder teams are lined up to do a few curtain-raiser games however this obviously wouldn't be week in week out. Interested to see what happens really. You raise a good point though MT - a lot of fans won't bother turning up if it is to be at the ground for <2 hours.

What do you guys want to see? Women's? Junior reps? Just tossing ideas out
 
Unless it was a genuine Reserve grade comp I'd say not to bother. There's no requirement to have 'a curtain raiser'. A comp like the EPL doesn't and spending two hours at the footy is quite a convenient amount of time. It means clubs would save on labour costs etc. instead of having to pay for security (for example) for a couple of dozen people scattered around the stands. Travelling fans (from either team) may want a bit more of a 'show' but how many members of the Burrow would get an earlier flight from Mascot to catch a GC junior Rep game?
 
Mr Stupid said:
Unless it was a genuine Reserve grade comp I'd say not to bother. There's no requirement to have 'a curtain raiser'. A comp like the EPL doesn't and spending two hours at the footy is quite a convenient amount of time. It means clubs would save on labour costs etc. instead of having to pay for security (for example) for a couple of dozen people scattered around the stands. Travelling fans (from either team) may want a bit more of a 'show' but how many members of the Burrow would get an earlier flight from Mascot to catch a GC junior Rep game?
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Good comparison with the EPL and can see the economic perspective.

Re the burrow - probably none from them or any other Sydney club, but this isn't any different from what was experienced when the NYC was existent. I guess you could also look at that and say why target opposition supporters when we could get hundreds of local kids in the gate who want to watch their mates?
 
Hail Sezer said:
I loved watching the U20 competition. Not because it was remotely an indication of a player ready for NRL, nor was it even close to NRL, but I found it to be particularly entertaining in its own right. I highly doubt the HD comp will make its way to CBUS though.

I think the ISC feeder teams are lined up to do a few curtain-raiser games however this obviously wouldn't be week in week out. Interested to see what happens really. You raise a good point though MT - a lot of fans won't bother turning up if it is to be at the ground for <2 hours.

What do you guys want to see? Women's? Junior reps? Just tossing ideas out
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Yeah my initial hope when they got rid of NYC was that we could watch a QCup Game as the Curtain Raiser. That hasn’t really changed.
 
The only thing with having QCup games is that the clubs themselves will lose revenue.
My preference would be increased squads and a proper second tier reserve grade. But as has been mentioned not likely to happen.
 
Mr Stupid said:
Unless it was a genuine Reserve grade comp I'd say not to bother. There's no requirement to have 'a curtain raiser'. A comp like the EPL doesn't and spending two hours at the footy is quite a convenient amount of time. It means clubs would save on labour costs etc. instead of having to pay for security (for example) for a couple of dozen people scattered around the stands. Travelling fans (from either team) may want a bit more of a 'show' but how many members of the Burrow would get an earlier flight from Mascot to catch a GC junior Rep game?
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Of course I would expect to be a genuine reserve grade comp. When I lived in Mexican state I used to follow Manly all over the place and always went to Penrith, Parra, Canberra etc. If I lived there now there is no way I'd drive these distances to be at a ground for only two hours. That and the crazy kick off times have really affected the amount of travelling supporters down there these days.
I agree with Bods that QCup is the next best option but we only would see a handful of our NRL players in waiting as they are scattered. Anyway I'll drop off, reggie reserves are not coming back so I just have to accept it.
 
^^^ brings a tear to my eye MT. From the age of about 10 to when I was 14 my mum would drop me off at Endeavour Field at about 1145am and then I’d watch all 3 grades and I’d get picked up about 2km away from Endeavour Field at 530pm every 2nd Sunday.
Then on the Tweed in ‘88 I was able to do the same thing at Seagulls Stadium as an older teenager.
That structure was the Bomb and is why I just lived Rugby League.

Anyway as you said it’s not going to happen again. The next best I can hope for is to watch a few of our squad members playing QCUP.
 
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Reports that Arrow will be getting a spot in the front row. Rein off the bench. Sami on one wing and TRD if Don doesn't pass a fitness test on the other.

It's getting close now....

And it looks like Lawton will get a run this weeknd off the bench due to Roache season ending injury. So it looks to have worked out for him. At the other end McQueen named in reserves for the magpies.
 
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JunctionBlock said:
Reports that Arrow will be getting a spot in the front row. Rein off the bench. Sami on one wing and TRD if Don doesn't pass a fitness test on the other.

It's getting close now....

And it looks like Lawton will get a run this weeknd off the bench due to Roache season ending injury. So it looks to have worked out for him. At the other end McQueen named in reserves for the magpies.
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I dont think Lawton will, I seen former Burleigh Bears Junior Sam Cook is debuting for Warriors. Which would mean Luke and Cook as hookers. Lawton to ISP?
 
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