Gordon still in doubt for clash

Hodges believes Titans can win

RETIRING Gold Coast player Michael Gordon remains in doubt for tonight’s clash with Parramatta at Cbus Super Stadium as the club’s third game in 12 days takes its toll.

The Titans are staring down the barrel of a second woodenspoon finish and their worst win-loss record in club history.

Several players, including Gordon, remain in doubt for the match due to niggling injuries and fatigue.

Interim coach Craig Hodges was yesterday left to concede the Titans’ injury worries, saying “we’ll just put the fittest 17 that we’ve got out there”.

Gordon was named on the bench in his return from a hamstring injury he suffered against the Roosters two weeks ago but was given until yesterday’s training session to prove his fitness.

Hodges may look to pitchfork Nathan Peats into the 17man squad while 18-year-old former Bronco Tanah Boyd remains on the fringes.

“There is potential changes,” Hodges said.

“We’ve got a few guys that have to get through training that are pretty beat up at the moment.

“We haven’t got 21 fit players at the moment so we’ve got a couple guys who will hopefully get through and we’ll just put the fittest 17 that we’ve got out there.

“Michael Gordon is a worry coming back onto our bench.

“He just pulled up a bit sore earlier in the week.

“Peatsy should be OK. He’s probably one of five or six that we have to pick the fittest three.”

The Titans will be looking to bounce back from a sevengame losing streak and avoid a club record eight straight losses when they host the Eels at home.

Hodges said he was hoping to develop new habits among his playing group at the back end of the season. — Murray Wenzel

“Rugby league is a game of habits and at training you create those habits going into a game,” he said.

“That’s what we’re trying to do at the moment, create good habits.

“We’ve probably picked up some bad habits over the course of the year. We had a 12 week pre-season and 18 weeks into the season when we changed so some of those habits are ingrained and they will take time to change.

“That’s why you see us playing well in patches. We start a game well when things are fresh in their mind, then when we get under fatigue, we go back to old — Matthew habits.” Elkerton