Round 18: Titans v Storm preview
The Gold Coast Titans will have a new coaching team this weekend, the fledgling club trying to change their fortunes but Craig Hodges and Luke Burt will need to be miracle workers, with a David v. Goliath battle against the top of the table Melbourne Storm awaiting them.
The Titans have been disappointing this season, now sitting in last spot on the table with just four wins from their 16 matches this season. They parted ways with coach Garth Brennan last weekend after being comprehensively outplayed by Penrith in a 24-2 loss at the foot of the mountains. Last weekend they showed some glimpses of good play but ultimately could only manage a penalty goal against the Panthers despite having a number of good chances in the red zone.
All season the talent of Gold Coast's young guns has been on display - the likes of AJ Brimson, Jai Whitbread, Moeaki Fotuaika have all shown that future is bright at Robina, but they've struggled to find consistent footy in 2019, with just four wins and most recently, succumbing to three consecutive losses. The Titans have proven they can beat anyone on their day with wins over the Panthers, Knights, Manly and Broncos through the year, but ultimately when it has come to consistency they have struggled, and the Storm aren't exactly the team you want to turn it around against.
Melbourne are perennial front-runners but in 2019 they have been a class above, recording 14 wins from their 16 matches this season and already amassing 30 competition points to the end of Round 17. The 2018 runners-up are on an eight-match winning streak, and last week they were very impressive against Cronulla despite a mid-match scare, running out 40-16 winners.
The Storm haven't really put a foot wrong this season and although they would be disappointed with the two times they've conceded defeat this season, one of them was only in Golden Point against the Roosters, and the other a two-point defeat against the Sharks at Pointsbet Stadium in Round 8. They've racked up 252 points in their past eight games with just 94 conceded, which is compared to the Titans who have scored just 134 points with 130 conceded.
Last meeting: Round 24 2018 - Titans 8 Storm 10
Who to watch: Returning to Robina this year, Tyrone Roberts has had to take a leading role in the halves this season and like the Titans, he has shown some decent signs of good football, but has gone missing on occasions. Last week there were times were his second-rowers were forced to kick - Roberts needs to take the game by the scruff of the neck and start to control the game and bring the Titans some consistent football.
Storm halfback Brodie Croft plays as the third wheel on occasion behind Cameron Munster and Cameron Smith, but Croft in his own right would be the best player of almost all the other 15 teams in the competition. He possesses speed, skill and evasiveness which can leave opposing defences in two minds and teamed up with Smith, Munster and even Jahrome Hughes, Croft can leave teams guessing.
The favourite: Unsurprisingly, the Melbourne Storm are massive favourites in a first vs last battle. The Storm have won 13 of 19 matches between the two sides with the visitors winning the past two matches - the Titans last winning against the Storm in a massive upset back in 2017.
My tip: Having seen the Titans in person last week at Penrith, they will stand very little chance against the Storm. They've have struggled to score points in 2019 and they will need big improvement in defence from last week to hold out a side who have showed plenty of solid attack and will sweat on defensive lapses. Melbourne could rack up one of their biggest wins of the season and I think they could even rival their 54-point victory against Parramatta from Magic Round. Storm by 30.
