NRL: Titans' injury-marred season unearths young hooker

Matt Srama of the Titans. Photo / Getty Images

A tough season continues for Gold Coast coach John Cartwright, who has barely been able to cobble together 17 fit players for Saturday night's NRL clash with fellow cellar dwellers Canberra at Skilled Park.

Cartwright's squad list of 32 players has dwindled to just 17 with injury and releases taking a heavy toll throughout the season.

"Yeah, it's down to that (bottom of the barrel) but we've got 17 fit players ready to go on Saturday which is the important thing," said Cartwright, himself a casualty a few weeks ago when his appendix burst.

Cartwright, though, wasn't using the shortage of troops as an excuse for the Titans' poor season.

"We're sitting where we are (last) through our own doing, not through injury but some guys are getting opportunities they probably weren't going to get," he said."

With five-eighth Beau Henry facing more surgery on his troublesome ankle, Cartwright was forced into a late team shuffle.

Esi Tonga returns in the centres with William Zillman shifting to five-eighth and possibly floating between No.6 and fullback.

Ongoing neck soreness has also forced prop Luke Bailey's withdraw with Anthony Laffranchi pushing into the front row and utility Luke O'Dwyer promoted from the bench to the back row.

A key battle will be the clash of hookers Alan Tongue and young Titans discovery Matt Srama, who are at opposite ends of their careers.

While there may be a generation gap between the retiring Tongue and incoming Srama there is a common trait with their high work ethic.

Young Srama, one of the few shining lights of a forgettable 2011 season, will cross paths with veteran Tongue for the first time with neither playing in the round four clash earlier this year when the Titans snuck home 23-22.

Their input though will be crucial as both clubs, along with Parramatta, fight to avoid the dreaded wooden spoon.

Srama, a revelation for the Titans this year, was just nine years old when Tongue, from Tamworth, played his first NRL game against Brisbane in 2000.

Tongue built his reputation on courage and work ethic, traits Srama is already displaying just 11 games into his budding NRL career.

A fitness freak, Srama again stood out last weekend with two try assists and a game-high 53 tackles in the 40-16 loss to Melbourne.

"He's been one of the positives to come out of the season," Cartwright said.

- AAP