Garth Brennan faces tough task to turn Titans around following release of 2019 draw
GOLD Coast will face this year’s top eight teams in 14 of 24 matches next season, leaving Garth Brennan a monumental task to secure his first play-offs appearance as an NRL head coach.
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THE Titans have been hit with one of the toughest draws in the NRL next season as coach Garth Brennan looks to deliver the Gold Coast its first finals appearance since 2016.
The Titans will face this year’s top eight teams in 14 of 24 matches next season, leaving Brennan with a monumental task to secure his first play-offs appearance as an NRL head coach.
To compare the Titans’ draw, reigning premiers the Roosters will only play this year’s top eight teams in 12 games while runners up Melbourne will have 11 games against the top clubs.
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That means more than half of the Storm’s matches next year will be against teams that did not qualify for last season’s finals.
The Titans will face this year’s finals teams the Sharks, Warriors, Panthers, Broncos, Dragons and Storm twice next year.
They have avoided two clashes against top four teams the Roosters and Rabbitohs, with neither of those clubs to visit Cbus Super Stadium.
That means the reigning premiers will not play on the Gold Coast in 2019.
After taking matches to Toowoomba and Gladstone last year because of the Commonwealth Games, the Titans will play 11 home games at Cbus Super Stadium.
Their remaining home game will be part of the Round 9 Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium where they will face the Sharks in the first game of the event.
The Titans have only secured three games on free-to-air television next season and will play seven matches in the unpopular 6pm Friday timeslot.
Matches expected to draw big crowds on the Gold Coast include the Warriors in Round 14, however it will be on a Friday at 6pm, and the Broncos in Round 19 in the fan friendly 5.30pm timeslot.
Jarryd Hayne could make his first appearance on the Gold Coast since leaving the Titans in Round 22 on a Friday night at 6pm.
FULL 2019 FIXTURE
ROUND 1
Sunday, Mar 17
Titans vs. Raiders CBus Super Stadium 6:10pm
ROUND 2
Saturday, Mar 2
Sharks vs. Titans Shark Park 3:00pm
ROUND 3
Sunday, Mar 31
Rabbitohs vs. Titans ANZ Stadium 6:10pm
ROUND 4
Friday, Apr 5
Warriors vs. Titans Mt Smart Stadium 6:00pm
ROUND 5
Friday, Apr 12
Titans vs. Panthers CBus Super Stadium 6:00pm
ROUND 6
Sunday, Apr 21
Titans vs. Knights CBus Super Stadium 2:00pm
ROUND 7
Saturday, Apr 27
Tigers vs. Titans Scully Park Tamworth 5:30pm
ROUND 8
Friday, May 3
Cowboys vs. Titans 1300Smiles Stadium 6:00pm
ROUND 9
Thursday, May 9
Titans vs. Sharks Suncorp Stadium 7:50pm
ROUND 10
Saturday, May 18
Titans vs. Bulldogs CBus Super Stadium 3:00pm
ROUND 11
Friday, May 24
Sea Eagles vs. Titans Lottoland 6:00pm
ROUND 12
Sunday, Jun 2
Titans vs. Cowboys CBus Super Stadium 4:05pm
ROUND 13
Sunday, Jun 9
Broncos vs. Titans Suncorp Stadium 2:00pm
ROUND 14
Friday, Jun 14
Titans vs. Warriors CBus Super Stadium 6:00pm
ROUND 15
Saturday, Jun 29
Titans vs. Sea Eagles CBus Super Stadium 3:00pm
ROUND 16
BYE
ROUND 17
Friday, Jul 12
Panthers vs. Titans Panthers Stadium 6:00pm
ROUND 18
Sunday, Jul 21
Titans vs. Storm CBus Super Stadium 2:00pm
ROUND 19
Saturday, Jul 27
Titans vs. Broncos CBus Super Stadium 5:30pm
ROUND 20
Sunday, Aug 4
Roosters vs. Titans TBA 2:00pm
ROUND 21
Saturday, Aug 10
Dragons vs. Titans Jubilee Stadium 3:00pm
ROUND 22
Friday, Aug 16
Titans vs. Eels CBus Super Stadium 6:00pm
ROUND 23
Sunday, Aug 25
Storm vs. Titans AAMI Park 2:00pm
ROUND 24
Saturday, Aug 31
Knights vs. Titans McDonald Jones Stadium 3:00pm
ROUND 25
Saturday, Sep 7
Titans vs. Dragons CBus Super Stadium 7:35pm
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