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Round 2: NZ WARRIORS vs TITANS (2018)

I only saw half of the game as i was out, but it looked like we gave everything, and can be fairly proud of the team who had our gun player withdraw a day before the game.

I cant believe they denied LG's try, he technically put a half step behind his own plaer, but then straightened and no one was impeded imo, and if we go on technicalities, rather than common sense, Pulu being in our defensive line should have rendered their similar try as a no try. just bull****.

So LG gets denied, then Sami unlucky, and it could have been a different match. out forwards matched theirs no doubt at all in my opinion and im really liking our yardage game.

Lets get Arrow and Wallace starting and we are away.

as for Sami...he is showing the hallmarks of a young gun winger taking his opportunities and is our Next Mead or Gordon. he has lost the puppy fat, looks lean mean and does the tough stuff coming out of our own end. Would be a very tough call to bring in brenko or Elliot over him once fit.

Overall i'm not too discouraged with the performance.
 
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck stars again as New Zealand defeat Gold Coast 20-8
https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/

ASH Taylor has become the Gold Coast’s version of Johnathan Thurston after the Titans struggled in Saturday’s 20-8 defeat to the Warriors in New Zealand.

Taylor celebrated his 23rd birthday at home on the Gold Coast with a tight hamstring as The Bunker rained on any chance of the Titans celebrating at Mt Smart Stadium.

With Bryce Cartwright replacing Taylor in the halves, five-eighth Kane Elgey became the chief of the Gold Coast but couldn’t replicate the creativity of the regular Titans No. 7.

Since the start of last season, Taylor has had a hand in more than half of the Gold Coast’s tries and orchestrated last week’s comeback win against the Raiders with a whopping four try-assists.

For years the Cowboys struggled without Thurston and the Titans face becoming a one-man band if they cannot fire without Taylor.

Coach Garth Brennan refused to blame the loss on Taylor’s absence or the Bunker, which denied the Titans three tries and controversially awarded New Zealand a crucial four-pointer.

“I’m disappointed but proud of the effort,” he said.

“I’m not going to blame it on Ash (missing). I thought Kane and Bryce did a really good job.

“There were areas where we might have been a bit better if Ash had of been playing but Kane and Bryce did a good job being thrown in like they were.

“I think they (Bunker decisions) were pretty close to the mark. The referee had a better view than I did.

“That’s footy. Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don’t. That didn’t contribute to us (losing). We could have been better.”

The Titans came out strongly and could have easily had a healthy lead only to have two tries denied, first to Elgey (obstruction) and then Phillip Sami (knock-on).

The near misses proved crucial when David Fusitu’a got the Warriors on the board before Roger Tuivasa-Scheck got the green light despite Nathan Peats being impeded.

The Warriors looked strong again as they surged to another win.

The Warriors dominated possession and field position but the Titans hung on to trail 12-2 and looked to have finally had a slice of luck when Sami went over out wide. But again, the try was denied by the Bunker after Shaun Johnson accentuated an obstruction.

New Zealand got great go-forward throughout the match.

The Titans seemed to drop their heads after the third knock-back and Warriors centre

Solomone Kata scored minutes later to wrap up New Zealand’s 14th victory from their last 15 matches against the Gold Coast.

Offloads were the order of the day for the Warriors.

A leaping Fusitu’a bagged his second late in the game before Anthony Don broke the Gold Coast’s duck without the help of The Bunker with three minutes left.

Taylor is expected to return alongside Maroons Origin prop Jarrod Wallace (suspended) in next Sunday’s showdown with the unbeaten Dragons in Toowoomba.

NZ WARRIORS 20 (D Fusitu’a 2 S Kata R Tuivasa-Sheck tries S Johnson 2 goals) bt GOLD COAST 8 (A Don try M Gordon 2 goals) at Mt Smart Stadium. Referee: Gavin Reynolds, Adam Gee. Crowd: 14,132
 
Five things we learned — Gold Coast Titans v New Zealand Warriors
http://www.couriermail.com.au/

THE Titans have gone down to the Warriors 20-8 in New Zealand as they struggled without their key man Ashley Taylor.

Here are the five things we learned:

1. The Titans need to create more attacking options. The absence of Ash Taylor (hamstring) saw them devoid of options with the ball as five-eighth Kane Elgey and makeshift halfback Bryce Cartwright struggled to put their stamp on the game. The best teams keep their opponents guessing.

2. Titans hooker Nathan Peats is still not at his best. Peats has been timid defensively in his return from a shoulder reconstruction and had zero runs in the first half. Mitch Rein has looked sharp and may be a better option to start while Peats regains confidence.

3. The Bunker was the Gold Coast’s worst enemy. Kane Elgey and Phillip Sami were denied tries due to obstructions which could have gone the other way. The Warriors were awarded a contentious try to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck despite Peats being impeded.

4. Jai Arrow deserves to keep his starting spot when Origin prop Jarrod Wallace returns from suspension. Arrow has been super impressive in the opening two rounds, racking up 21 runs for 208m and 32 tackles yesterday in another tireless performance.

5. There are positive signs in New Zealand but the Warriors were not overly convincing. Shaun Johnson played far too laterally at times and that is not successful against the better teams in the NRL. The Warriors should not be getting too excited yet.
 
Titanic said:
Cheers for the positiveness Smarty, as always it’s a pleasure and looking forward to returning serve :)
Click to expand...

No worries Titanic, always enjoy reading the threads here when our lots are about to face off.

It's been a long time since the Warriors and Titans played each other in an official 'top eight clash' albeit round two.,,,it was still a milestone of sorts, may that continue into the future.

Not looking for Brownie points here, but now I have looked at the replay a few times those obstruction calls were ridiculous, Shaun Johnson clearly milks the second one by walking into the block runner.
 
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