Round 1
Gold Coast Titans 18 l. St.George-Illawarra Dragons 20

2007 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Titans encouraging debut
Mon March 19, 2007
The debut of the Gold Coast Titans attracted a crowd of over 42,000 at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium in what is the biggest crowd for an NRL Premiership match in Queensland not featuring the Broncos.

St George Illawarra may have won the contest 20-18, but the Titans lost no admirers in what was a cracking contest played to a great standard and in front of a wonderful atmosphere.

Gold Coast took the gamble to move their first home match to Brisbane and it paid dividends with a bumper crowd in attendance and the majority of the 42,000 decked on in the Titans colour giving the new franchise an immediate home ground feel.

It's been wonderful how the Titans have generated wonderful community support and more so after the previous Gold Coast side failed to gain any serious support when they were in the competition from 1988 to 1998.

The Dragons have nortoriously poor starters and both St George and Illawarra have lost to newcomers in their first match. St George went down to the Brad Mackay Western Reds in 1995 and Scott Hill inspired Melbourne to a comeback to defeat Illawarra in 1998. So for the Dragons to get the two points is a victory of great character and shows that they will still be a force this season.

Chris Walker scored the first try for the Titans in the 8th minute and landed a great sideline conversion for an early 6-0 lead.

Richard Williams showed that he'll more than capably fill the Dragons five-eighth position scoring two tries in the 23rd and 50th minutes as the Dragons went ahead 14-6 with Wes Naiqama converting both tries and landing a 45th minute penalty goal.

The Dragons stretched their lead even further when Keith Lulia scored only a minute after Williams second try.

Gold Coast refused to give up and showed tremendous pride with Walker crossing for his second try in the 55th minute and Jake Webster crossed ten minutes later to bring the margin back within two points.

Both sides played tremendous and desperate football in the final stages with the Dragons just holding on with Naiqama's penalty goal in the 45th minute being difference.

If the Titans are going to be an on and off field success, their supporters are going have to be there every home game cheering for them and not fall off the bandwagon should results be tough as to be expected in a debut season.


Dragons name five NRL debutants for Titans clash
Tue March 13, 2007
Source: www.dragons.com.au

St George Illawarra Coach Nathan Brown has today named five rookie's to make their NRL debut for the Club against the Titans at Suncorp Stadium this Sunday.

Local juniors Dan Hunt (Dapto), Keith Lulia (Port Kembla) and Josh Morris (Kiama), along with Richard Williams and Lagi Setu will play their first NRL game while Luke MacDougall, Simon Woolford, Beau Scott, Adam Peek and Tony Caine will make their Dragons debut.

Brown said, "Everyone at the Dragons is excited about the opening game of the season but especially the guys making their NRL debut.

"They have worked hard and proved that they are capable of playing at the top level and we are confident they will do well."

Unavailable Dragons are Mark Gasnier (pectoral), Mathew Head (knee), Sam Isemonger (knee), Brett Morris (thumb), Justin Poore (suspension) and Dean Young (knee).

Dragons team: Josh Morris, Luke MacDougall, Keith Lulia, Matt Cooper, Wes Naiqama, Richard Williams, Ben Hornby, Dan Hunt, Simon Woolford, Jason Ryles, Ashton Sims, Beau Scott, Ben Creagh. Subs: Adam Peek, Danny Wicks, Corey Payne, Tony Caine, Lagi Setu (one to be omitted).

News sent by: www.dragons.com.au

Tue November 14, 2006
• 2007 NRL Premiership Fixture List (Full)
  

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