Qld Teams - Titans name injured brigade

The Gold Coast Titans have as many as seven players in doubt for Friday’s Qualifying Final with the Warriors at Skilled Park.

Preston Campbell (hamstring) and Luke Bailey (thumb) are the biggest inclusions, both hopeful of returning from recent lay-offs.

After missing the past three matches, Campbell returns to fullback pushing William Zillman back to the wing and Jordan Atkins on to a six man bench.

Meanwhile Bailey, who missed last week, will partner Anthony Laffranchi in the front row with Matthew White returning to the bench.

Campbell and Bailey face fitness tests on Thursday with Atkins and Luke O’Dwyer the likely replacements.

The Titans secured the home final with an exciting 21-18 win over Wests Tigers last week but it came at a cost.

Captain Scott Prince missed part of the game with a shoulder injury but returned to pilot the side home and will play this weekend.

Centre Steve Michaels (shoulder), forward Brad Meyers (ribs) and lock Ashley Harrison (broken nose) all finished the match injured with only Harrison certain at this stage to face the Warriors.

Five-eighth Mat Rogers is still struggling with a rib injury but, like Prince, is considered a near guaranteed starter this weekend.

The Titans have not lost to the Warriors since 2007 with victories this season in Auckland (28-20) six weeks ago and at Skilled Park (24-18) in Round One.

Another win for the Titans will either give them a week off, pending results, or another Queensland-based match in Week Two.

NQ feeders’ alive

In what’s been a horror season for the North Queensland Cowboys NRL side, there is plenty of hope for the future.

The Cowboys under 20’s and both Queensland Cup sides are still in the hunt for premiership success.

The 20’s finished fourth and face the Sydney Roosters this weekend while feeder clubs Northern Pride and Mackay Cutters are down to the final four Queensland Cup sides.

The Pride finished the regular season in third position and downed fifth-placed Wynnum-Manly last Sunday.

They now face minor premiers Souths Logan, Canberra’s feeder club, for a spot in the Grand Final.

In one of the biggest upsets of the season, the sixth-placed Mackay eliminated defending premiers Sunshine Coast with a precision perfect 14-4 ambush last weekend.

The Cutters scraped into the Finals on points differential after winning half their games this season and were expected to be little threat to the Sea Eagles feeder club.

However in blustery conditions the Cutters perfectly executed their game plan to win away from home to now sit one win from the Grand Final.

They face the Broncos feeder club Norths Devils on Saturday with the Grand Final to be held at Suncorp Stadium a week from Sunday.

Both semi finals this weekend will be broadcast live into Queensland on ABC1 from 2pm.

Cowboy stars Johnathan Thurston, Willie Tonga and Matt Scott were all included in the Australian squad but Thurston (foot) and Tonga (groin) will face fitness tests.

Big night for Gillett

Brisbane’s most impressive youngster Matt Gillett is the favourite to take home the NRL rookie of the year award at tonight’s Dally M awards.

Gillett came from nowhere to play 21 (of a possible 24) NRL games and scored 11 tries this season.

So obscure was the 22-year-old Gillett, he was not even included in the 2010 Broncos media guide and looked set to play out the year in the Queensland Cup.

However his versatility proved invaluable to the Broncos with him spending time in the back-row, centre, wing and five-eighth to see him touted as a future Queensland star.

Gillett faces tough competition tonight from Sharks fullback Nathan Gardner, Eels forward Justin Horo and Manly halfback Trent Hodkinson.

Karmichael Hunt was the last Bronco to win the award in 2004.

Meanwhile after missing the last month of NRL competition, in which the Broncos lost all four matches to limp out of Finals contention, Darren Lockyer puts his injured ribs under the microscope tomorrow.

Lockyer yesterday was named in the Australian train-on squad for October’s Four Nations series but must first prove his fitness.

Last week Lockyer declared he would have been fit for this weekend so it is expected he will once again lead Australia in the end of year tournament.

Sam Thaiday is the only other Bronco in the squad while young backs Alex Glenn and Antonio Winterstein earned call-ups to the New Zealand squad.

Fellow youngsters Andrew McCullough and Jharal Yow Yeh join Gillett and veteran lock Corey Parker in the Prime Minister’s XIII train-on squad.

That team will be finalised on Monday and play Papua New Guinea in an exhibition match next month.

Gold Coast Titans vs. Warriors, Friday 7:35pm, (Channel Nine, live).
Preston Campbell, Kevin Gordon, Steve Michaels, Clinton Toopi, William Zillman, Mat Rogers, Scott Prince (c), Luke Bailey, Nathan Friend, Anthony Laffranchi, Greg Bird, Mark Minichiello, Ashley Harrison. Interchange: Michael Henderson, Brad Meyers, Matthew White, Bodene Thompson, Luke O’Dwyer, Jordan Atkins (two to be omitted).