Tigers to repeat history; Titans to make history

The Wests Tigers will be hoping history repeats itself when they face off with minor premiers St George Illawarra Dragons in a rematch of their 2005 Premliminary Final next Saturday; while the Gold Coast Titans will be aiming to make history in their first Preliminary Final appearance on Friday night against the Sydney Roosters. <br><br> The Tigers eliminated the more fancied Dragons in the Grand Final qualifier 21-12 on their way to winning their first and only premiership in 2005; while the Titans, in only their fourth NRL season, are chasing their first Grand Final berth when they play at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium next weekend. <br><br> Coincidentally the Dragons won the week one Qualifying Final in 2010 and had this weekend off to watch their Preliminary Final opponents Wests Tigers grind out a courageous 26-24 Semi-Final win over the Raiders in Canberra last night (September 17). <br><br> Likewise the fourth-placed Titans had the week off after their week one finals win over the Warriors and other results went their way, while their Preliminary Final opponents, the ruthless Roosters, savaged an injury-ravaged Panthers 34-12 tonight (September 18). <br><br> The victory continues the remarkable resurrection of the Roosters, the 2009 wooden-spooners, and 2010 Dally M winner Todd Carney, who was banned from the NRL last season. <br><br> While the Dragons will start favorites at ANZ Stadium next Saturday, the Tigers will take a lot of confidence into the match from their two finals performances over the past week - their 100-minute epic golden point loss to the Roosters last weekend; and their near golden-pointer against the Raiders last night after a week of uncertainty through illness and injury. <br><br> Wests Tigers skipper Robbie Farah hailed his side's win over Canberra among the best in the club's history with superstar five-eighth Benji Marshall inspirational after being in doubt all week with a knee injury suffered in the dying stages of the loss to the Roosters. <br><br> A spirited Canberra looked dead and buried when linchpin Terry Campese was stretchered off with a suspected torn ACL in his left knee 23 minutes from time. But his evergreen co-captain Alan Tongue kept their hopes alive with a gutsy try in the 74th minute which was converted by young centre Jarrod Croker to take them within two points (24-26). <br><br> The victory was only sealed when Croker missed a chance from in front with four minutes remaining that would have sent the game to golden point. <br><br> "It goes to show how tough a group we are," Farah said. "After last week I don't think anyone gave us a chance coming down here but we put last week behind us and that was pretty tough to do. <br><br> "To come down here and get a win away from home with so many injuries backing up after a hundred minutes, it was probably one of the best wins the club has ever had." <br><br> <b>The draw for Week 3 of the Telstra Premiership Finals Series will be: <br><br> 1st Preliminary Final – 7.45pm Friday, September 24: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane <br><br> Gold Coast Titans v Winner 2nd Semi-Final (Roosters v Panthers) <br><br> Toyota Cup: New Zealand Warriors v Bulldogs <br><br> 2nd Preliminary Final – 7.45pm Saturday, September 25, ANZ Stadium, Sydney <br><br> St George Illawarra Dragons v Wests Tigers <br><br> Toyota Cup: South Sydney Rabbitohs v Canberra Raiders</b> <br><br> Tickets for Week 3 of the Telstra Premiership Finals Series will go on sale to Ticketed Members of the competing NRL teams from 9am-7pm on Monday, September 20, and to the general public from 9am, Tuesday September 21. <br><br><br />Tickets for both matches will be available through Ticketek on 132 849, at Ticketek outlets or online at <a href="http://www.ticketek.com.au">www.ticketek.com.au</a> <br><br> New Zealand customers can call 0800 842 538 or +61 132 849. <br><br> <b>Category Adult Concession Family</b> <br><br> <b>1</b> $70.00 $55.00 $195.00 <br><br> <b>2</b> $50.00 $35.00 $135.00 <br><br> <b>3</b> $30.00 $25.00 $65.00