Cartwright just needs time, Brennan insists

GOLD Coast coach Garth Brennan insists Bryce Cartwright will not be a flop at the Titans, despite the star recruit spending 79 minutes warming the bench against the Broncos.

Cartwright played just one minute of Sunday’s game as Gold Coast beat Brisbane 26-14 at Suncorp Stadium.

The NSW Origin hopeful was relegated to the bench after a poor start to the season, averaging four missed tackles a game and offering little impact with the ball.

Cartwright’s one-minute cameo came at the end of the first half when he replaced backrower Kevin Proctor, who had been ordered off the field to undergo a concussion test.

Proctor passed the HIA test during the half-time break, meaning he returned to the field at the start of the second half and Cartwright returned to the bench for the rest of game.

With Cartwright’s defensive attitude questioned throughout his 73-game NRL career, Brennan admitted he was reluctant to tinker with his side with the game on the line.

“When it became a real defensive arm-wrestle, at that point I couldn’t get him back into the game,” Brennan said.

“It was just the way the game panned out. I thought Will Matthews and Kevin Proctor were doing enormous jobs on our edges defensively.

“It was a case that I couldn’t get him into the game how I would have liked to.

“He would have liked to have played more minutes, but he understands it’s a 17-man game.”

Cartwright’s benching raises genuine questions about his best long-term position.

Brennan thrust the former Penrith dynamo into the defensively demanding position of lock to start the season and Cartwright was exposed.

The coach admitted it was unfair to pitch Cartwright into the halves against New Zealand, but he struggled again in the forward pack in the 54-8 loss to the Dragons, prompting his demotion to the bench.

At 23 and having signed a four-year deal with Gold Coast, Cartwright has time on his side and Brennan says Titans fans will see the best of him.

“I’ve said from day one, Bryce is a work in progress. He is only 23,” Brennan said.

“He’s going to take some time. We’re in no rush ... next weekend he will probably play a lot more minutes.”

The Titans will play Manly in Gladstone on Sunday in the third match of their six-week roadshow because of the Commonwealth Games.