It all goes on the line this Sunday for defending premiers Broncos as they aim to earn the right to go back-to-back, with prop Shannon Mato confident in her side.
First however, they have a overcome a talented Titans team that have impressed all season and have plenty of belief in their abilities, with the side also having claimed the honours in the Queensland derby during the regular season.
Speaking after Brisbane’s dominant win over Newcastle in the opening week of finals, the former Titans forward said the squad were ‘hungry’ to get the job done.
“We … (have been) just getting around each other and appreciating how far we've come and how much everyone has put a lot of effort to get to where we are,” Mato said.
“I think we just reminded ourselves that it's do-or-die and no matter where anyone is placed, everyone wants it and (it’s about) who's hungrier, and I think that really motivated us to want it more.”
Last time the two sides met at Cbus Super Stadium in Round 8, it was a seesawing affair, with coach Scott Prince captured giving a particularly animated half-time talk to his side after they trailed 14-4 at the break.
It almost had the desired effect with the Broncos coming out firing in the second half, but the Gold Coast were able to regroup to post their 28-20 win.
Titans v Broncos: Finals Week 2
“I think it's a great opportunity, obviously we lost in the round game and I think that's naturally going to fire us up too,” Mato said of their preliminary final opponents.
“I think having another opportunity to play a team again is awesome for us and I think we're just going to focus on ourselves again, focus on what we're good at, getting around each other.
“I think we needed that (spray) … I just think that we needed to be reminded of what we're good at and sometimes we are shooting ourselves in the foot … we get so excited, we've got a player in every position that is so lethal at what they do, and I think it was just working as one team.
“And we fixed that after we got that spray, as everyone has seen, but it just shows the passion that Princey has for us.
“He knows how great we can be and I think what he instils into our club, we want to reach that.
“I think it's an exciting time ahead and an exciting game to put on for Queensland.”
For fellow Lillian Yarrow, who has blossomed in her first season with the club after making the move from North Queensland,
“It's very exciting.
“I know there's a bit of a buzz around it, especially after that last game.
“It's a bit of a Queensland battle of the Queenslanders, we went down to them a few weeks ago, and I think everyone's just excited to give it another crack.
“It's a bit of a redemption round for us, and then it's also us building off this past week (against Newcastle and) heading into the next lot of finals.”
With the Broncos putting on free buses to Cbus Super Stadium for their supporters, Yarrow was hoping to see many of the fans who have packed out their home ground of Totally Workwear Stadium make the trek down the M1.
“It's really good,” Yarrow said.
“We've got a really good fan base here … (and) it's nice to win, but when you do it in front of a crowd, I just feel like it's even better.
“It just revs you up even more.”
Match: Titans v Broncos
Finals Week 2 -
home Team
Titans
2nd Position
away Team
Broncos
3rd Position
Venue: Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
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