Job still on line but reprieve for Henry
NEIL Henry has four weeks to get the Titans back on track, with the under-pressure coach to see out the remainder of the season before the club conducts a review of its horror finals fade-out.
Gold Coast CEO Graham Annesley summoned 12 players for one-on-one discussions on Monday following last weekend’s record 54-0 loss to the Broncos.
While Henry’s coaching was a topic of those discussions, the board does not want to rush into a decision on his future until a post mortem is conducted.
That could change if the Titans suffer more shocking losses, beginning with Saturday’s away clash against the Dragons, but the club is prepared to give Henry time to fight back. The Titans will finish their season against the surging Eels (away), battling Bulldogs (home) and top-two Roosters (away).
The Gold Coast’s past two matches have resulted in a combined scoreline of 80-4, raising questions about the players’ commitment under Henry. The players have held team meetings without coaching staff this week to address their late-season woes and winger Anthony Don said they were ready to bounce back.
“We’ve got to put pride back in the jersey,” he said.
“It’s an honour to pull on
the Titans jersey and we’ve got to display that on the field. Neil wasn’t out there on the weekend missing all of those tackles.
“It was the players. We were the ones that did the embarrassment to the club. Not him. I definitely think it’s unfair (Henry is under pressure). We didn’t turn up to play and we got belted.”
Henry and the Gold Coast’s fortunes have changed in a matter of weeks. The Titans were still in finals contention three weeks ago before a 24-16 loss to Penrith which took the sting out of them.
A flat week saw them lose 26-4 to the lowly Wests Tigers before suffering the derby rout against Brisbane.
“It was an attitude thing,” Don said.
“Once Penrith beat us we were all but knocked out (of the finals race). I don’t know if that weighed on our shoulders, but we haven’t turned up the last two weeks.
“We’ve got to be competing harder. We’ve got to get some wins in the next four games.”
To make the Dragons clash tougher, halfback Ashley Taylor (knee) and captain Ryan James (ankle) sat out yesterday’s training session and are no certainties to play.
Five-eighth Kane Elgey said while the players had discussed their diving season, it was now time for action.
“We’re the ones on the field. We should come out this week with a good win,” he said.
“We owe it to the fans, coaching staff and club in general, especially when they’re trying to sell it.
“When we’re not performing it comes back on them (coaches) and the club in general. We’ve got to come out with a different way.
“We can talk as much as we want but we’ve got to get on the field.”