Blast From The Past - NRL Debut

Author: Titans.com.au
Timestamp: Tue 24 Mar 2020, 06:00 PM

With the NRL postponed until further notice, the Club would still like to provide you with your footy fix up until we return. Each week will select a game from the Club's history and play it at the time our match was scheduled for each weekend.

Today, we start with our NRL debut match against the St George Illawarra Dragons at Suncorp Stadium back in 2007. Today we announce that team and on Sunday at 5:15pm, you'll be able to watch the match in full on the Titans website.

TITANS NAME STRONG TEAM FOR NRL DEBUT AGAINST THE DRAGONS

Titans Head Coach John Cartwright has named an impressive first squad for the Gold Coast’s historic return to the NRL in their Round 1 clash with the Dragons at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

Wests Tigers 2005 premiership captain Scott Prince and Luke Bailey will co-captain the inaugural Titans team, with Bailey to take on his Dragons teammates for the first time.

Former Dally M Medal winner Preston Campbell will ignite the Titans’ attack from fullback, with Prince and youngster Matt Hilder named in the halves.

Ex-Wallabies star Matt Rogers will make his return to rugby league in the centres for the Titans, joining ex-Storm and Kiwi Test centre Jake Webster in the backline, with young gun Lelea Paea and State of Origin star Chris Walker on the wings.

Bailey will lead an impressive Titans pack bolstered by premiership forwards Anthony Laffranchi and Luke Swain, with youngsters Clint Amos and Kris Kahler, and rising star Gavin Cooper rounding out the starting scrum.

Michael Henderson, James Stosic and Mark Minichiello will bring extra grunt from the interchange bench, with hooker Nathan Friend to fill the utility role in jersey No.19.

Standing in the Titans’ way is a strong Dragons team looking to build on their good momentum after finishing one game short of the grand final in 2006 under the coaching of Nathan Brown.

The Dragons finished the regular season in sixth spot, but belted eventual premiers Brisbane 20-4 in the first week of finals, and then progressed to the preliminary final by trouncing Manly 28-0.

But they fell short of the grand final with a 24-10 loss to the Storm in the grand final qualifier, unable to contain Melbourne’s star-studded roster.

Like the Titans, the Dragons will have co-captains at halfback and prop, with Ben Hornby and Jason Ryles leading the visitors, while 21-year-old sensation Josh Morris will line up at fullback.

A crowd of more than 40,000 people is expected to jam into Suncorp Stadium for this moment of rugby league history as the Titans become the NRL’s 16th club.

Titans fans can watch the game on exclusive 13-year delay this Sunday at 5.15pm though the Titans website at titans.com.au, or via the Official Titans App – available to download for free for iPhone and Android devices.

NRL ROUND 1, 2007

GOLD COAST TITANS vs ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS

SUNDAY 13 MARCH

SUNCORP STADIUM, BRISBANE

TITANS

1. Preston Campbell

2. Lelea Paea

3. Mat Rogers

4. Jake Webster

5. Chris Walker

6. Matt Hilder

7. Scott Prince (c)