Gold Training NYC Holden Cup coach Ben Woolf will ask his bookends for another wholehearted performance as the side plays to keep its finals hopes alive in Campbelltown on Saturday.
Reinvigorated by last week’s nail-biting win against the Warriors, the young Titans remain a slim chance of reaching the finals and are just three wins outside the top eight with four rounds remaining.
To reach the finals, the Titans must maintain their winning momentum and rely on some other results falling their way.
At the heart of their finals surge is front row pair Max King and Nathan Watts.
Both are reliable, hard-working types, with Watts having a deft hand in the team’s first try against the Warriors.
King is the one to whom the pack will turn to help subdue the big and powerful Tigers.
He leads the side for running metres and tackles, which is a fearsome indication of his productivity and endurance.
“He’s been really consistent all year. He just rips in week in, week out,” Woolf said.
“He’s also got a really good offload and has played 80 minutes for us on a few occasions this year.
“He’s one of those blokes who keeps going and that’s really important. If you can’t get a few of your starters past 25 minutes you’re going to struggle.”
The Titans scored a valuable win against the Tigers earlier this season and will be confident after naming an unchanged squad for the clash at Campbelltown Stadium.
The sixth-placed Tigers have won just two of the last six matches, while the young Titans can inch closer to the eight if they score a cherished away victory.
“Twenty-eight points is usually the standard,” Woolf said of his outfit who currently sit on 20.
“If we can get a win on Saturday, and have some results involving Cronulla or Canberra go our way, we give ourselves a chance of getting there.”
Just two points off third place, Wests Tigers have received a huge boost for Saturday’s game with the return of Junior Kiwi international forward Esan Marsters from a shoulder injury.
Kick-off is at 10.40am.
