NRLW teams round 5: Gold Coast Titans need inspiration from halfback Lauren Brown to topple Roosters
She’s a firefighter off the field, but it’s on the field that the Titans need Lauren Brown to perform some heroics to inspire the side to a crucial victory over the Roosters in round five. See the full NRLW teams analysis.
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She’s a firefighter away from the game, but the Gold Coast desperately need Lauren Brown to save the Titans season this week when they face the Roosters.
After starting the season with two straight wins, the team tipped to knock off the Knights this year have dropped back-to-back games and are in a battle to stay in touch with the top four.
Brown has been a shining light in what has been a mixed season for the Titans, playing every minute of the season, kicking seven goals, with three try assists.
The Queensland Origin star will lead a Gold Coast side bolstered by the return of Niall Williams-Guthrie, allowed Taliah Fuimaono to join Brown in the halves.
Sienna Lofipo and Zara Canfield are also a chance of returning from injury after being named on the extended bench.
Eyes will also be on Jillaroos representative Shaylee Bent as she faces the club her and her partner David Fifita sensationally backflipped on earlier this year.
Bent followed her partner when he changed his mind on a four year deal, choosing to stay with the Titans as they look to claim their first NRLW premiership.
They face an in-form Roosters side aiming to extend their winning streak to four, with captain Isabelle Kelly finally playing in her preferred position at centre.
She will be joined by powerhouse Amber Hall, who’s coming off a season-best game, and will line up directly against Bent this weekend.
Hall scored two tries in the Roosters demolition of St George Illawarra.
In other team news, back-to-back premiers the Knights will be without star halfback Jesse Southwell as she recovers from a nasty head knock in her game last week against Cronulla.
Local junior Evie Jones will make her debut in the No.7 jumper.
Meanwhile, the ladder-leading Sharks have boosted their stocks by adding Olympic rugby sevens player Dominique du Toit, who has been named on the extended bench this week.
She played a part at the Paris games where Australia placed fourth, and now looks to make her NRLW debut just weeks after.
NRLW ROUND 5 TEAMS
Eels v Knights
Saturday at Eric Tweedale Stadium, 11.05am
Eels
1. Abbi Church 2. Zali Fay 3. Rory Owen 4. Rosie Kelly 5. Monique Donovan 6. Cassey Tohi-Hiku 7. Rachael Pearson 8. Elsie Albert 9. Taneka Todhunter 10. Madeline Jones 11. Chloe Jackson 12. Mahalia Murphy 13. Kennedy Cherrington
Interchange: 14. Rosemarie Beckett 15. Tyla Amiatu 16. Jade Fonua 17. Ruby-Jean Kennard
Reserves: 18. Tafao Asaua 19. Breanna Eales 20. Lindsay Tui 21. Kate Fallon 22. Pihuka Berryman-Duff
Knights
1. Tamika Upton 2. Tenika Willison 3. Shanice Parker 4. Abigail Roache 5. Lilly-Ann White 6. Georgia Roche 7. Evie Jones 8. Tayla Predebon 9. Olivia Higgins 10. Kayla Romaniuk 11. Laishon Albert-Jones 12. Yasmin Clydsdale 13. Hannah Southwell
Interchange: 14. Nita Maynard 15. Simone Karpani 16. Rima Butler 17. Grace Kukutai
Reserves: 18. Sheridan Gallagher 19. Jacinta Carter 20. Viena Tinao 21. Jules Kirkpatrick 22. Isabella Waterman
Raiders v Cowboys at
Saturday at GIO Stadium, 12.45pm
Raiders
1. Apii Nicholls 2. Madison Bartlett 3. Cheyelle Robins-Reti 4. Mackenzie Wiki 5. Alanna Dummett 6. Zahara Temara 7. Ash Quinlan 8. Tommaya Kelly-Sines 9. Chante Temara 10. Sophie Holyman 11. Kerehitina Matua 12. Hollie Dodd 13. Simaima Taufa
Interchange: 14. Emma Barnes 15. Grace Kemp 16. Relna Wuruki-hosea 17. Sereana Naitokatoka
Reserves: 18. Felice Quinlan 19. Georgia Willey 20. Tatiana Finau 21. Jaida Faleono 22. Amelia Pasikala
Cowboys
1. Francesca Goldthorp 2. Krystal Blackwell 3. Jakiya Whitfeld 4. Jasmine Peters 5. Libby Surha 6. Tahlulah Tillett 7. Kirra Dibb 8. Tallisha Harden 9. Emma Manzelmann 10. Essay Banu 11. China Polata 12. Tiana Raftstrand-Smith 13. Bree Chester
Interchange: 14. Jetaya Faifua 15. Lily Peacock 16. Makenzie Weale 17. Harata Butler
Reserves: 18. Shellie Long 19. Sareka Mooka 20. Lillian Yarrow 21. Vitalina Naikore 23. Shaniah Power
Titans v Roosters
Sunday at Cbus Stadium, 12pm
Titans
1. Evania Pelite 2. Georgia Grey 3. Jaime Chapman 4. Niall Williams-Guthrie 5. Emily Bass 6. Taliah Fuimaono 7. Lauren Brown 8. Shannon Mato 9. Brittany Breayley-Nati 10. Jessika Elliston 11. Rilee Jorgensen 12. Shaylee Bent 13. Georgia Hale
Interchange: 14. Lily-Rose Kolc 15. Laikha Clarke 16. Dannii Perese 17. Matekino Gray
Reserves: 18. Sienna Lofipo 19. Hailee-Jay Maunsell 20. Ngatokotoru Arakua 21. Georgia Sim 22. Zara Canfield
Roosters
1. Sam Bremner 2. Jayme Fressard 3. Jasmine Strange 4. Isabelle Kelly 5. Mia Wood 6. Jocelyn Kelleher 7. Tarryn Aiken 8. Millie Elliott 9. Keeley Davis 10. Mya Hill-Moana 11. Amber Hall 12. Olivia Kernick 13. Tiana Davison
Interchange: 14. Tavarna Papalii 15. Pani Hopoate 16. Samantha Economos 17. Otesa Pule
Reserves: 18. Shannon Rose 19. Taina Naividi 20. Aliyah Nasio 21. Eliza Lopamaua
Tigers v Broncos
Sunday at Leichhardt Oval, 1.45pm
Tigers
1. Botille Vette-Welsh 2. Rebecca Pollard 3. Rikeya Horne 4. Leianne Tufuga 5. Tiana-Lee Thorne 6. Pauline Piliae 7. Losana Lutu 8. Sarah Togatuki 9. Salma Nour 10. Christian Pio 11. Brooke Talataina 12. Montana Clifford 13. Najvada George ’
Interchange: 14. Sophie Curtain 15. Tara Reinke 16. Natasha Penitani 17. Ebony Prior
Reserves: 18. Shaianne McGlone 19. Imogen Gobran 20. Tess Staines 21. Jessica Kennedy 22. Emily Curtain
Broncos
1. Hayley Maddick 2. Julia Robinson 3. Mele Hufanga 4. Shenae Ciesiolka 5. Stacey Waaka 6. Gayle Broughton 7. Ali Brigginshaw 8. Brianna Clark 9. Jada Ferguson 10. Chelsea Lenarduzzi 11. Tazmin Rapana 12. Romy Teitzel 13. Keilee Joseph
Interchange: 14. Destiny Brill 15. Tafito Lafaele 16. Lavinia Gould 17. Lauren Dam
Reserves: 18. Skyla Adams 19. Bree Spreadborough 20. Hannah Larsson 21. Ashleigh Werner
Dragons v Sharks
Sunday at WIN Stadium, 6.10pm
Dragons
1. Teagan Berry 2. Maria Paseka 3. Keele Browne 4. Bobbi Law 5. Alice Gregory 6. Tyla King 7. Raecene Mcgregor 8. Angelina Teakaraanga Katoa 9. Zali Hopkins 10. Madison Mulhall 11. Shenai Lendill 12. Charlotte Basham 13. Alexis Tauaneai
Interchange: 14. Kasey Reh 15. Ella Koster 16. Jamilee Bright 17. Steph Hancock
Reserves: 18. Jordyn Preston 19. Kaarla Cowan 20. Bronte Wilson 21. Sophie Clancy 22. Maatuleio Fotu-moala
Sharks
1. Cassie Staples 2. Nakia Davis-Welsh 3. Tiana Penitani 4. Annessa Biddle 5. Georgia Ravics 6. Emma Tonegato 7. Tayla Preston 8. Ellie Johnston 9. Quincy Dodd 10. Holli Wheeler 11. Vanessa Foliaki 12. Rhiannon Byers 13. Brooke Anderson
Interchange: 14. Sharni Smale 15. Chloe Saunders 16. Manilita Takapautolo 17. Tegan Dymock
Reserves: 18. Filomina Hanisi 19. Leki Leilua 20. Pia Tapsell 21. Talei Holmes 22. Dominique Du Toit
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