Match Preview: Round 1 vs. Titans

Wests Tigers will look to start their 2015 season on a winning note when they take on the Gold Coast Titans at Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday, March 7.

While much has changed for both teams since the opening rounds of 2014, where Wests Tigers thrashed the Titans 42-12 on the Gold Coast, the new players and coaches on both sides of the border will be keen to ensure they start the new year with a positive performance. Both teams recorded a win against the other in 2014 — will 2015 follow a similar pattern, or will one be far superior to the other, starting this weekend?

Read on for a full preview of this week’s NRL clash, including all the team news, player analysis, key statistics, coaching comments and much more.

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Match Details

Date — Saturday, March 7, 2015

Time — 7:00pm AEDT (6:00pm local time)

Venue — Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast

Wests Tigers Exclusive Game Day Show on Xcast

We've alsogot a special LIVE SHOW coming before Saturday's NRL game! More details to come later this afternoon — live at www.weststigers.com.au/video/livestream!

6:30pm — Pre-Game with Wests Tigers legend Liam Fulton

7:45pm — Half-Time with Wests Tigers legend Liam Fulton

8:45pm — Post-Match with Wests Tigers legend Liam Fulton

TV, Live Stream and Radio Information

TV — Live coverage via Fox Sports 1

Radio — Live coverage via ABC Grandstand (check local guides)

Live Stream — Live via Foxtel Go and NRL’s Digital Pass (subscription required)

Confirmed Squads

2015 Trial Match Results

Wests Tigers

Trial — Wests Tigers 20 def. Parramatta Eels 4

Trial — Wests Tigers 22 def. Cronulla Sharks 8

Gold Coast Titans

Trial — Gold Coast Titans 22 def. New Zealand Warriors 12

Trial — North Queensland Cowboys 30 def. Gold Coast Titans 10

Match History

·      Head-to-Head — Played 13, Won 6, Lost 7

·      At Gold Coast — Played 7, Won 3, Lost 4

Coach’s Comment

“We’re expecting a Titans team that’s really desperate to put the saga of what they’re been through to the side and try to get people focusing on football. The best way that they’ll do that is playing well, so we need to be ready for that — and we are. We’ve had some strong trial form and a good pre-season overall. Everyone understands their part in our system, which is good. I’m confident that if we can stick to what we’ve worked on throughout pre-season and deliver for the full 80 minutes, we’ll walk away with the result.” (Jason Taylor, Head Coach)

Three Key Facts

·      The Gold Coast Titans have lost just one season-opener on the Gold Coast (R1, 2011 against the St. George-Illawarra Dragons, lost 25-16).

·      The Gold Coast Titans have the lightest team out of all NRL Round 1 teams, with an average playing weight of 95kg per player.

·      Pat Richards’ highest single-game points tally came in this corresponding fixture last year, where he scored 22 points (two tries, seven goals).

Key Matchup to Watch — Mitchell Moses vs. Aidan Sezer

While Wests Tigers fans only got see a brief glimpse of Mitchell Moses towards the backend of last season, the Carlingford junior impressed in what was a tough initiation to NRL football – recording nine try-assists in 10 games. Aiden Sezer suffered an injury-plagued 2014 season, tearing his pectoral muscle in Round 10 and subsequently playing just 13 games. Starting the year at five-eighth, the former Bulldogs junior will look to provide speedsters James Roberts, David Mead and Kevin Gordon with plenty of quality ball on the edges.

Both fairly inexperienced halves, the battle between Moses and Sezer will have a huge bearing on the outcome of this match and both will be keen establish themselves firmly in their respective side’s number six jersey. The two five-eighths have never played against each other in an NRL match prior to this weekend.