2020 NRL – Gold Coast Titans vs New Zealand Warriors Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Gold Coast Titans vs New Zealand Warriors taking place? Friday 10th July, 2020 – 09:00 (UK)
Where is Gold Coast Titans vs New Zealand Warriors taking place? Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
What is the expected weather for Gold Coast Titans vs New Zealand Warriors? 17c, mostly cloudy
What channel is Gold Coast Titans vs New Zealand Warriors on? Sky Sports Arena will be televising selected NRL games in the UK and you can find their schedule here. For Australian broadcasters, you can find a list here
Where can I stream Gold Coast Titans vs New Zealand Warriors? If televised on Sky Sports, then subscribers will be able to stream the match live via Sky Go. Alternatively, the match will be available to subscribers of Watch NRL
Where can I get tickets for Gold Coast Titans vs New Zealand Warriors? Click here for ticket information on 2020 NRL matches
THE TEAM NEWS
GOLD COAST TITANS
Starting 13: Thompson, Don, Fermor, Cartwright, Spry, Taylor, Fogarty, Fotuaika, Clark, Jolliffe, Stone, Hipgrave, Arrow – Interchanges: T. Boyd, Lisone, Peachey, Wallace – Reserves: Whitbread, Peats
Unavailable: Ryan James (Injured), AJ Brimson (Injured), Jonus Pearson (Injured), Young Tonumaipea (Injured), Dale Copley (Injured), Kevin Proctor (Injured), Brian Kelly (Injured), Phillip Sami (Injured), Mitch Rein (Injured)
- Gold Coast Titans were unable to back-up their win over Brisbane Broncos as they were on the end of a big 10-40 loss against Cronulla Sharks last week with the Titans struggling on both sides of the ball.
- They missed 44 tackles to take their tally to 320 for the season which is the worst record in the NRL by 38 while their 17 errors took them to 98 for the year, just two behind the league’s worst offenders in Canterbury Bulldogs.
- There are several changes for the Titans this week with Mitch Rein out with an ankle problem so Erin Clark starts at hooker, Tyrone Roberts makes way to allow Corey Thompson to shift to fullback with Treymain Spry coming onto the wing to make his debut and Beau Fermor slots into the centres with Sam Stone taking his second row spot.
NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Starting 13: Tuivasa-Sheck, Fusitu’a, Herbert, Hiku, Maumalo, Harris-Tavita, Green, Taunoa-Brown, Egan, Blair, Murchie, Harris, Lawton – Interchanges: Paasi, Hetherington, Papali’i, Tevaga – Reserves: Burr, Pompey
Unavailable: Jackson Frei (Injured), Bunty Afoa (Injured), Nathaniel Roache (Injured), Taane Milne (Injured), Lesson Ah Mau (Injured), Adam Keighran (Injured), Eliesa Katoa (Injured), Kodi Nikorima (Injured)
- New Zealand Warriors produced a solid display as they earned a relieving victory against Brisbane Broncos last week and they will now come into this clash with Gold Coast Titans with the confidence that they can make it back-to-back wins.
- The Warriors appeared to be heading into the break trailing 0-10 but a late try gave them hope which they were able to build on in the second period to seal a 26-16 success with an 82% completion rate the key to their victory.
- The Warriors are completing at an average of 80.8% this season, the fourth-best completion rate in the NRL and they will be hopeful of protecting the ball once again in this contest where they will be boosted by the return of skipper Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Jazz Tevaga, although their inclusions are tempered by the loss of Kodi Nikorima to injury.
THE PREDICTION
New Zealand Warriors earned their third win of the season as they fought back to beat Brisbane Broncos last week and they have a great chance of making it successive victories as they head to Gold Coast to face the Titans. The hosts were sloppy last week as they coughed up the ball too frequently and their completion rate of 73.8% is the worst in the league. That is likely to be a key area in this contest and one the Warriors will look to take advantage of against a team they have beaten in 16 of their last 18 clashes with the New Zealand outfit able to come out on top once again.
