VENUE & TIME: Skilled Park, Sunday March 14, 4.00pm (NZDT).
COVERAGE: Fox Sports
LAST TIME: Titans 30 – Warriors 10 at Mt Smart Stadium, Round 22, 2009.
MATCH ODDS: TAB NZ: Titans $1.30, Warriors $3.30
WALKING WOUNDED: The Titans will be without Aaron Cannings (shoulder), Josh Graham (hip), Esi Tonga (torn pec - season) and Luke O'Dwyer (knee), while prop Michael Henderson (broken toe) remains in doubt despite being named on an extended bench.
New Warriors skipper Simon Mannering has been ruled out of this match with a hamstring injury, joining former skipper Steve Price (heel) on the club's injured list. Mannering should be right next week, while Price is looking at Round 3 for a return. Centre Brent Tate will play his first NRL match since suffering a serious ankle injury against Brisbane in Round 3 last year.
FORM: The Titans registered their first ever finals appearance last year and look even stronger in 2010 thanks to some key signings. They produced some mixed form in the trials, though, downing the Rabbitohs 28-22 in Coffs Harbour before struggling against the Cowboys a week later in Darwin.
The Warriors put the woes of 2009 behind them with some impressive trial form. Solid wins over the Roosters and Cowboys, followed by a keenly-fought draw with Manly, gives the club a glimmer of hope that 2010 may not be as bad as some experts are understandably predicting.
WHO'S HOT: Many tipsters have the Titans penciled in for a repeat appearance in the top-four and this is largely due to the acquisition of bad boy Greg Bird. The former Shark and Les Catalan Dragon is just the player to add some mongrel into a side that has been criticised for a soft underbelly in the past. Bird also brings a variety of attacking skills to the table that will no doubt complement the talents of fellow half Scott Prince.
Brett Seymour has been solid in the trials for the Warriors and he will have to carry that sort of form into the premiership as the club desperately tries to find an adequate replacement for Stacey Jones. Seymour certainly has the talent to help turn the Warriors around, but he will have to sort out a few off-field demons for that to occur.
WE THINK: Not only will the Warriors be without injured leaders Mannering and Price, but they will also have to content with the Gold Coast's burning 1pm sun. To make matters worse, they have been forced to wear their black strip in the predicted heat after the Titans cunningly decided go with their alternate white jersey. The Warriors finished last year on a massive low, conceded over 30 points a game in their final seven matches and unless coach Ivan Cleary has come up with some new ideas in defence, another forgetful season beckons...starting Sunday. The Titans are tough to beat at home and look even stronger this season with Greg Bird on deck. Titans by 18.
TEAMS
Gold Coast Titans:
1 Preston Campbell, 2 Kevin Gordon, 3 Mat Rogers, 4 Joseph Tomane, 5 David Mead, 6 Greg Bird, 7 Scott Prince [c], 8 Luke Bailey, 9 Nathan Friend, 10 Brad Meyers, 11 Anthony Laffranchi, 12 Mark Minichiello, 13 Ashley Harrison. Interchange: 14 Matthew White, 15 Sam Tagataese, 16 Will Matthews, 17 Riley Brown,