The Aquis Gold Coast Titans will open their 2017 campaign with a Saturday night at Cbus Super Stadium (8pm kick-off), against one of the most successful clubs in the NRL, the Sydney Roosters.
With the release of the 2017 Telstra Premiership Draw this morning, it was announced that the Titans will play four of our opening six matches at Cbus Stadium, including a Round Three blockbuster against Jarryd Hayne’s former club, the Parramatta Eels, and a Round Four home match against the Cowboys, a team that hasn’t visited the Gold Coast since 2014.
CEO Graham Annesley says other highlights of the team’s draw include a Round 19 home match against 2016 Telstra Premiership winners the Cronulla Sharks, and a Saturday afternoon fixture against the popular Warriors in June, which is historically one of the Titans biggest games of the season.
“I think fans will be pleased with our 2017 draw,” Annesley said.
“On the back of our performances in 2016 and our membership figures which are well ahead of expectations at this stage, combined with fan-friendly time-slots, we are anticipating a strong crowd for our opening match which is great news for the Titans as we prepare to once again perform strongly throughout 2017.
Head Coach Neil Henry said the Titans draw features no short-turnarounds, which provides the best possible preparation for each match.
“13 of our first 20 matches will give the players more than seven days recovery between matches, while we have four matches with at least six days.
“When you’re trying to keep everyone fit, those extra days can be vital, so we are very pleased with that.”
The Titans’ home games are, in sequence, against Sydney Roosters, Parramatta Eels, North Queensland Cowboys, Canberra Raiders, Newcastle Knights, Manly Sea Eagles, New Zealand Warriors, St. George Illawarra Dragons, Cronulla Sharks, Wests Tigers, Brisbane Broncos and Canterbury Bulldogs.
Other interesting aspects of the club’s 2017 schedule are:
- There are no five-day turnarounds in the first 20 rounds (game times have not been allocated past that period).
- Five of our opening 20 matches will be played on Friday nights. Only one is at the new kick-off time of 6pm Friday (replacing Monday night matches).
- Four of our opening 20 matches have been allocated to free-to-air television including our Friday night Round Three match against the Parramatta Eels.
- We take on the Storm at Suncorp Stadium in a Double Header in Round 10 giving our members and fans the opportunity to travel to a Titans away game.
- In the nine allocated home games up to round 20, the Aquis Titans have two Friday nights and seven Saturday matches.
- Our byes fall in rounds 12 and 18, during stand-down rounds preceding Origin II and Origin III.
- Our final home clash of the season is against the Bulldogs in round 25.
