Shannon Boyd in strong comeback from injury as Titans lose trial to Burleigh Bears
The Titans’ Nines form was quickly forgotten as they lost in a trial match to the Burleigh Bears but there was good signs from a key prop.
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Prop Shannon Boyd made an encouraging return from shoulder surgery but it wasn’t all good news for the Titans as the Gold Coast was humbled 18-16 by the Intrust Super Cup’s Burleigh Bears on Friday night.
The Titans were sketchy at best in a pre-season trial at Pizzey Park on the Gold Coast as coach Justin Holbrook fielded a number of fringe players.
Last weekend’s fantastic NRL Nines performance was quickly forgotten.
You can’t sugar coat a loss to a reserve grade team, especially with the Titans boasting a number of big name players.
Up against a team of builders and labourers, the entire starting 13 for the Titans were full-time contracted NRL players but trailed 12-4 at halftime.
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On the back of winning last year’s Intrust Super Cup premiership, the Bears looked like a finely-drilled team that is comfortable and confident in the way they want to play.
On the other hand the Titans looked clunky and lacked direction, which was somewhat forgivable given the players they had watching on from the sideline.
Playing his first game since July last year, Boyd punched out 40 minutes in the front row alongside ex-Origin prop Jarrod Wallace.
Boyd was heavily criticised for his debut season at the Titans last year, struggling for form before undergoing a shoulder reconstruction which brought an end to his season after 13 games.
With Ryan James suffering a season-ending knee injury, the Titans need Boyd and Wallace to fire in 2020 given they are short on quality middle forwards.
Titans hooker Erin Clark was the Gold Coast’s best player, heaping more pressure on ex-NSW Origin rake Nathan Peats as he fights for a first grade jersey.
Clark was sharp in attack and defence, kicking a crucial 40-20 and making a number of stinging tackles.
Burleigh had the Titans under pressure early and shot out to a 12-0 lead after 26 minutes through tries to Luke Page and Kurtis Rowe.
With young halves Tanah Boyd and Toby Sexton guiding the ship, the Titans struggled to build any sort of pressure on Burleigh early.
A try to Titans winger Dale Copley two minutes before halftime got the Gold Coast on the board and made it 12-4 at the break.
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But the Bears burst out of the blocks in the second half, Rowe scoring again before the Titans hit back through Jonus Pearson and Sexton.
There was a nice moment with nine minutes to go when Titans legend Preston Campbell’s son Jayden made a fantastic try-saving tackle on a runaway Will Evans just metres from the tryline.
But Campbell’s efforts were in vain as the Titans slumped to a disappointing loss in their first 13-man hitout of the year.
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