John Cartwright has backed Bodene Thompson to become a regular starter in the Titans pack after declaring the position was “his to lose” ahead of tonight’s season opener against premiers St George Illawarra. Thompson will pack down alongside Greg Bird and Ashley Harrison in the backrow tonight and Cartwright was yesterday confident the emerging Kiwi talent would become a key component in their make-up this season. A graduate of the Titans’ Toyota Cup system, Thompson became a key contributor with 17 appearances last season but the coach expects more from the 22-year-old after an impressive off-season and trial form. “(Bodene’s) one of those young fellows who has been in our system since he was 16 or 17,” Cartwright said. “He’s been very fortunate that he has such a good-quality group around to learn from (but) it’s going to take a lot to shift him from the starting spot. “He was pushing all last year and he has an opportunity now and it’s up to him to hold it.” Continue reading
Tag Archive: greg Bird
The form of budding pivot Luke Capewell has relieved one of Gold Coast coach John Cartwright’s biggest headaches ahead of their NRL season opener. But the Titans mentor admitted he would be wrestling with another major decision right up to Saturday night’s kick-off against the Dragons. Ex-South Sydney player Capewell gave Cartwright no choice but to slot the 21-year-old into the vacancy created by Mat Rogers’ retirement. It ensured Cartwright didn’t lose too much sleep over who to replace the dual international, with veteran Preston Campbell and Greg Bird also being in the initial mix. “He had a really good off-season, he didn’t miss any time – I thought he was the most impressive in the No.6 jersey of the guys competing for that position in the trials,” Cartwright said. Continue reading
Greg Bird is set to be packed off to the Gold Coast Titans engine room, leaving two fresh-faced upstarts in a hot battle for the Titans’ No.6 jumper.This is the upshot of the Titans’ impressive trial in Coffs Harbour on Saturday night, when talented pivot prospects Luke Capewell and Jordan Rankin played cameo halves roles in the 42-4 slaughter of South Sydney. The pair are set to be face another acid test against North Queensland Cowboys halfback Johnathan Thurston in Cairns on Saturday night. If they again pass with shining colours, the Titans’ safe option of shuffling Bird into the No.6 jumper vacated by dual international Mat Rogers could be shelved before the NRL’s opening round to help to cover a long list of injured backrowers. “I want to have a good go this year,” Capewell said. “I’ve got my goals set, and six is where I want to be. Hopefully I can cement a spot there. Continue reading
South Sydney coach John Lang has a major headache ahead of the Rabbitohs’ opening match of the NRL season after a 42-4 flogging by Gold Coast on Saturday night.
Already missing star signing Greg Inglis and with fellow internationals Sam Burgess, Isaac Luke and Michael Crocker under injury clouds as well, Lang’s worries were heightened with a further injury to backrower Ben Lowe during the trial match in Coffs Harbour on the NSW north coast.
Even accounting for the absence of his stars Lang would also be holding serious doubts over his attacking options as the tried and tested halves combination of Chris Sandow and John Sutton was virtually impotent against the Titans.
Gold Coast coach John Cartwright has no such worries. Continue reading
The Jetstar Gold Coast Titans will roll out the big guns in Coffs Harbour this weekend, with Head Coach John Cartwright today naming a near full-strength line-up for Saturday night’s pre-season trial match against Souths. Jetstar Titans captain and halfback Scott Prince will form a new-look halves combination with Indigenous All Stars teammate Greg Bird while fellow stars Preston Campbell, Luke Bailey, Ashley Harrison, William Zillman and Coffs Harbour junior Kevin Gordon will all line up for their first pre-season matches for 2011. In a significant step for flyer David Mead, the Papua New Guinean International will play his first game since suffering a season-ending foot injury in Round 16, 2010 after being named in the starting line-up on the wing. Continue reading
Gold Coast star Anthony Laffranchi admits he’d rather stay at second row, but says he’s prepared to move to prop if it means accommodating Greg Bird in the NRL club’s starting side. The Test and NSW State of Origin representative is one of the game’s best back-rowers, however Laffranchi was moved up front for the Wests Tigers under similar circumstances in the 2005 grand final. Coach John Cartwright, whose finals-bound Titans face the Sydney Roosters at the Sydney Football Stadium on Monday night, faces a selection headache over how to combine his strongest side. Bird is expected to make his return from a hamstring injury against the Roosters, and named on the bench. Before his month-long layout Bird was playing five-eighth, but the superb form of Mat Rogers in his absence has almost guaranteed the retiring veteran won’t be moved out of the halves. This could see for the former Cronulla star to move to lock where he starred for NSW in the third Origin match. Continue reading
The hamstring tear which has ruled out Gold Coast five-eighth Greg Bird for a month may also have grounded the Titans’ flagging NRL campaign. Bird, who has become an integral part of the Titans’ line-up since joining the club in the off-season, suffered the injury during last Friday’s 24-10 loss to Brisbane at Skilled Park. Scans on Monday confirmed a tear. The news couldn’t have come at a worse time for the ailing Titans, who have lost six of their last eight matches and could tumble out of the top eight with another loss to ladder leaders St George Illawarra on Friday night. The task of upsetting the Dragons could get even tougher with their other State of Origin representative Ashley Harrison in doubt with a knee injury.
Experienced Titans centre Mat Rogers is poised to make a shock return from a knee injury against Manly at Skilled Park on Friday as the Gold Coast desperately try to end their three-game losing run. Rogers has been missing from the Titans line-up since rupturing his medial ligament against St George Illawarra in round six. Despite fears he was facing 12 weeks on the sidelines, the decorated dual international is set to be rushed back against the Sea Eagles just eight weeks to the day since he suffered the injury. Rogers will not be named when Titans coach John Cartwright unveils his team today, but a club source last night said Rogers was rated a better than 60 per cent chance of bolting into the side later in the week. Continue reading