By Jeff Petersen
A road trip for the Sharks this Saturday sees them take on the Titans at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.
The Titans, only a win ahead of the Sharks on the NRL Premiership Ladder, will be equally anxious to turn around sagging fortunes. This game will prove to be as hard fought as any played this season, with the Sharks sure to be fired up after the heartbreaking final minute loss to the Warriors last round.
It will be our first away game against the Titans since Rd 16, 2011, with Shane Flanagan’s boys coming away with a record 36-12 victory.
Cronulla has not made many visits to the Gold Coast, with only four meetings from the 11 games played between the two. Our away record stands at played 4, lost 3.
The Sharks first ever visit to the Gold Coast resulted in a 16-18 loss at Carrara in Round 02, March 26, 2007. The Sharks, leading 10-6 at the break, faulted badly to come away without the points. Greg Bird and Luke Douglas were in Sharks colours that night, while former Sharks Preston Campbell, Mat Rogers and Matt Hilder turned it on for the Titans in the second half.
Paul Gallen has crossed the line four times for tries, tying with Luke Covell as the highest try scorer for the club against the Titans.
Prior to the Sharks round four loss earlier this season when a James Roberts intercept saw the Titans take the points, our last meeting with the Titans was a disappointing 2014 season opener at Remondis on March 10th. The Sharks and Titans scores and line-ups that Monday night in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 9,321 were:
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 12 (Tinirau Arona, Wade Graham tries; Michael Gordon 2 goals from 2 attempts) Gold Coast Titans 18 (Greg Bird, Albert Kelly, William Zillman tries; Aidan Sezer 3 goals from 4 attempts)
Sharks: 1.Fullback Michael Gordon; 2.Wing Sosaia Feki, 3.Centre Blake Ayshford, 19.Centre Ricky Leutele, 4.Wing Jonathan Wright; 12.Five-Eighth Wade Graham, 7.Halfback Daniel Holdsworth; 13.Lock Paul Gallen (Captain), 18.Second Row Tinirau Arona, 11.Second Row Matt Prior, 10.Front Row Bryce Gibbs, 9.Hooker John Morris, 8.Front Row Andrew Fifita. Interchange: 14.Isaac De Gois, 15.Sam Tagataese, 16.Tupou Sopoaga, 17.Siosaia Vave.
Titans: 1.Fullback William Zillman; 2.Wing Kevin Gordon, 3.Centre Brad Tighe, 4.Centre Maurice Blair, 5.Wing David Mead; 6.Five-Eighth Aidan Sezer, 7.Halfback Albert Kelly; 13.Lock Ashley Harrison, 12.Second Row David Taylor, 11.Second Row Greg Bird (Captain), 10.Front Row Nate Myles (Captain), 9.Hooker Beau Falloon, 8.Front Row Luke Douglas. Interchange: 14.Matthew White, 15.Luke Bailey, 16.Mark Minichiello, 17.Paul Carter.
Halftime Score: Titans 10-6. Scrums: Sharks 7-4. Penalties: Titans 10-7. Referees: Jared Maxwell & Grant Atkins.
SHARKS FACT: Try scoring records between the two clubs reveal that 6 players have actually scored AGAINST either club (Greg Bird & Luke Douglas for the Sharks against the Titans; while Preston Campbell, Mat Rogers, Greg Bird & Albert Kelly for the Titans against the Sharks).
Go Sharks!
SHARKS / Titans – BY THE NUMBERS
OUR AWAY RECORD v TITANS (2007-2015)
All-Time Record: Played 11 Won 6 Drawn 0 Lost 5 Points For 216 Points Against 170
Total Away Record v Titans: Played 4 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 3 Points For 66 Points Against 68
Sharks Form in Last 4 Away Games v Titans: Won 36-12 (Rd 16 2011) Loss 10-20 (Rd 24 2009) Loss 4-18 (Rd 03 2008) Loss 16-18 (Rd 02 2007)
Sharks Form in Last 5 Games v Titans: Loss 12-18 (Rd 01 2014 at Remondis Stadium) Won 12-10 (Rd 01 2013 at Sharks Stadium) Won 22-12 (Rd 14 2012 at Toyota Stadium) Loss 16-20 (Rd 22 2011 at Toyota Stadium) Won 36-12 (Rd 16 2011 at Skilled Park)
Sharks First-Ever Game v Titans: Rd 02 at Carrara Stadium, March 26, 2007 (Loss 16-18) Sharks Scorers: Reece Williams 2, Fraser Anderson tries; Luke Covell 2 goals Att: 17,946
Sharks First Away Win v Titans: Rd 16 at Skilled Park, June 25, 2011 (Won 36-12) Sharks Scorers: Paul Gallen 2, Nathan Gardner 2, Nathan Stapleton 2 tries; Chad Townsend 6 goals Att: 12,997
Sharks Biggest Away Win & Last Away Game v Titans: 36-12 Rd 16, June 25, 2011 (24pts margin)
Sharks Heaviest Away Defeat v Titans: 4-18 Rd 03, March 29, 2008 (14pts margin) Att: 19,050
Sharks Best Away Attendance v Titans: 19,050 at Skilled Park, Rd 03 March 29, 2008
Sharks Away Attendance Average v Titans: 16,177
Sharks Points Average Per Away Game v Titans: 16.5pts
Most Away Points Scored by the Sharks v Titans: (36pts) Won 36-12 Rd 16, June 25, 2011
Most Aggregate Points Scored in an Away Game v Titans: (48pts) Won 36-12 Rd 16 at Skilled Park, June 25, 2011
Most Sharks Points Conceded v Titans: (20pts) Loss 10-20 Rd 24 August 23, 2009
Most Points Scored by a Sharks Player v Titans (all-time): 50 pts by Luke Covell, (4 tries 17 goals)
Most Points Scored by a Sharks Player in an Away Game v Titans: (12pts) by Chad Townsend, (6 goals), Rd 16 (Won 36-12) at Skilled Park, June 25, 2011
Most Tries Scored in an Away Game v Titans: (2 tries) by Reece Williams , Rd 02 at Carrara Stadium, March 26, 2007; (2 tries) by Paul Gallen, (2 tries) by Nathan Gardner, (2 tries) by Nathan Stapleton, Rd 16 at Skilled Park, June 25, 2011
Most Goals Scored in an Away Game v Titans: (6 goals) by Chad Townsend, Rd 16 at Skilled Park, June 25, 2011
Most Sharks Team Tries Scored in an Away Game v Titans: (6 tries) Rd 16 at Skilled Park, June 25, 2011 (Won 36-12) Sharks Scorers: Paul Gallen 2, Nathan Gardner 2, Nathan Stapleton 2 tries; Chad Townsend 6 goals Att: 12,997
Total Try Scorers for the Sharks v Titans at All Away Venues: (12 Tries, 7 Try Scorers) Paul Gallen 3; Reece Williams 2; Nathan Gardner 2; Nathan Stapleton 2; Fraser Anderson 1; David Simmons 1; Blake Ferguson 1.
Total Goal Scorers for the Sharks v Titans at All Away Venues: (9 Goals, 2 Goal Scorers) Chad Townsend 6 from 7 attempts; Luke Covell 3 from 7.
Total Field Goal Scorers for the Sharks v Titans at All Away Venues: None.
All-Time Total Try Scorers for the Sharks v Titans: (38 Tries, 24 Try Scorers) Luke Covell 4; Paul Gallen 4; Ben Pomeroy 3; Nathan Gardner 3; Reece Williams 2; Greg Bird 2; David Simmons 2; Nathan Stapleton 2; Fraser Anderson 1; Kevin Kingston 1; Paul Stephenson 1; Blake Ferguson 1; Luke Douglas 1; Tim Smith 1; Ricky Leutele 1; John Morris 1; Colin Best 1; Isaac De Gois 1; Jeremy Smith 1; Chad Townsend 1; Andrew Fifita 1; Matthew Wright 1; Tinirau Arona 1; Wade Graham 1.
All-Time Goal Scorers for the Sharks v Titans: (32 Goals, 4 Goal Scorers) Luke Covell 17 from 23 attempts; Chad Townsend 9 from 11; Michael Gordon 4 from 4; Nathan Stapleton 2 from 4.
All-Time Field Goal Scorers for the Sharks v Titans: None.
