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Titans v Sea Eagles: Campbell, Sami sidelined; Matterson in for Brown

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The Sea Eagles head north in Round 7 to take on former long-time coach Des Hasler for the first time since he left the club at the end of 2022.

Hasler suffered the latest, and probably most brutal, blow of his short tenure in charge of the Titans last week by way of a golden point loss to the Raiders, which resigned his side to a 0-5 start.

Manly suffered heartbreak of their own in Round 6, but still left with a point for their efforts, after being run down late by the Warriors and taken to gold point where a winner still couldn't be found after 10 minutes of additional play.

While they picked up three more injury concerns in that game, coach Anthony Seibold also confirmed that frontline players Reuben Garrick, Jason Saab and Matt Lodge would return in Round 7. 

The Titans have won both of their two most recent meetings with the Sea Eagles, while in 14 games coaching against Manly to date (all while he was in charge of the Bulldogs) Hasler has won 10 times.

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Team News

Titans: David Fifita moves to the interchange bench in a late forward reshuffle which sees Isaac Liu promoted to start at lock and Klese Haas shifting to the second-row. Phillip Sami, who was named to take the place of the injured Jayden Campbell, failed his fitness test on Thursday and won't be making a return from an ankle injury. AJ Brimson, who was originally named to partner Kieran Foran in the halves, will move back to fullback and Tanah Boyd returns at five-eighth. Tony Francis is 18th man.

Sea Eagles: A change on Friday with Dean Matterson added to the bench in place of Nathan Brown, who has failed to overcome a knee injury. Matt Lodge (ACL), Reuben Garrick (concussion) and Jason Saab (hamstring) are all back on deck. Those returns are somewhat offset by the loss of Ben Trbojevic (hamstring and Toafofoa Sipley (knee). There were no other changes when the team was finalised 60 minutes before kick-off.

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Titans is number 6 AJ Brimson
    Fullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Tom Trbojevic
  • Winger for Titans is number 2 Alofiana Khan-Pereira
    Winger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Jason Saab
  • Centre for Titans is number 3 Brian Kelly
    Centre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Tolutau Koula
  • Centre for Titans is number 4 Harley Smith-Shields
    Centre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Reuben Garrick
  • Winger for Titans is number 5 Jojo Fifita
    Winger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Tommy Talau
  • Five-Eighth for Titans is number 20 Tanah Boyd
    Five-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 6 Luke Brooks
  • Halfback for Titans is number 7 Kieran Foran
    Halfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Daly  Cherry-Evans

Forwards

  • Prop for Titans is number 8 Moeaki Fotuaika
    Prop for Sea Eagles is number 8 Taniela Paseka
  • Hooker for Titans is number 9 Chris Randall
    Hooker for Sea Eagles is number 9 Lachlan Croker
  • Prop for Titans is number 10 Jaimin Jolliffe
    Prop for Sea Eagles is number 10 Matthew Lodge
  • 2nd Row for Titans is number 12 Beau Fermor
    2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Haumole Olakau'atu
  • 2nd Row for Titans is number 13 Klese Haas
    2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 12 Corey Waddell
  • Lock for Titans is number 16 Isaac Liu
    Lock for Sea Eagles is number 13 Jake Trbojevic

Interchange

  • Interchange for Titans is number 11 David Fifita
    Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 14 Karl Lawton
  • Interchange for Titans is number 14 Sam Verrills
    Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 15 Ethan Bullemor
  • Interchange for Titans is number 15 Erin Clark
    Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Aaron Woods
  • Interchange for Titans is number 17 Josiah Pahulu
    Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 19 Dean Matterson

Reserves

  • Replacement for Titans is number 21 Tony Francis
    Replacement for Sea Eagles is number 22 Aitasi James

Match Officials

  • Referee: Liam Kennedy
  • Touch Judge: Belinda Sharpe
  • Senior Review Official: Gerard Sutton

Last updated:

Stat Attack

  • The Titans have scored 70 points in their last two games against the Sea Eagles.
  • The Sea Eagles have won four of their past five games at Cbus Super Stadium.
  • Titans fullback AJ Brimson has scored six tries in eight games against the Sea Eagles.
  • Sea Eagles centre Reuben Garrick has scored 66 points in his last four games at Cbus Super Stadium.
  • Titans coach Des Hasler has won seven of his last eight games coaching against the Sea Eagles.

Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the .

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Acknowledgement of Country

National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.