SIX AND OUT
Titans lose patience with Elgey as Cartwright returns
GOLD Coast coach Garth Brennan’s patience has run out, dumping Kane Elgey to reserve grade in favour of Bryce Cartwright.
Elgey and young winger Tyronne Roberts-Davis copped the axe following the side’s shocker against the Cowboys, with centre Brendan Elliot emerging as a winner in being handed his Titans debut at home against Cronulla on Saturday.
A disappointed Elgey (pictured right) has been told to improve his authority with the ball and execution without it.
Brennan confirmed the homegrown five-eighth will line up for Tweed Heads in the Intrust Super Cup this Saturday in Mackay, with the hope that a chance to shine there will spark a return to form.
“There was some one-on-one misses on the weekend that were costly and that’s probably part of the reason why Kane is not there this weekend,” Brennan said.
“If there are areas any player is letting the team down, then the team will always come first.”
The first-year NRL coach, however, backed Elgey – a “fantastic young man” – to respond in the best way possible and declared his omission will not hinder his bid to score a Titans contract beyond this season.
“I am counting on him to get back into the team at some stage,” Brennan said.
“He is very much part of my plans for this year.”
Fullback Michael Gordon said the Titans team had full faith in Elgey.
“He’s got all the tools, he’s a brilliant player … we’re all behind Kane no matter what,” he said.
Brennan’s warning that no player is guaranteed a jersey appears to have fully sunk in with the squad.
“You have to perform every week. It’s the game we are in, it’s pretty cut-throat,” said hooker Mitch Rein.
“If you’re not getting the results I guess no one’s position is safe from one to 17.”
Elliot is expected to add defensive fortitude to the left edge, with Phillip Sami shuffled back to the wing.
Though Cartwright’s form has been patchy during the past 18 months, Brennan reminded fans that his best footy had come in the No.6 – despite it not being his preferred position.
“Everyone talks about how he was knocking on the door of Origin selection, that was in 2016 and he was playing fiveeighth,” he said.
TITANS aces Jarrod Wallace and Anthony Don believe post-game sporting handshakes are a non-negotiable in the wake of Brisbane AFL midfielder Dayne Zorko’s snub of Gold Coast rival Touk Miller.
Zorko was slammed for what was perceived as unsportsmanlike behaviour following the Gold Coast Suns’ QClash victory on Sunday at the Gabba.
When asked to weigh in on the matter, Wallace said he shakes hands with opponents after full-time no matter what.
“As much as I don’t like a player or something like that, I will always shake his hand,” the star prop said.
“You don’t have to sit there and cuddle him but for all we know there could be off-field stuff between them (Zorko and Miller). There’s always two sides to the story.”
Wallace has been in Miller’s shoes before and admits he took a dim view of anyone who didn’t engage in the gesture.
“There has been plenty of guys that have done it to me,” he said.
“I won’t name and shame them but it has definitely happened to me.
“You pretty much look at them and go, ‘you (expletive) sook, stop carrying on’. We play a team sport, it’s physical, guys get competitive.
“There’s always off-field stuff that could happen but I always try to shake their hand no matter if I like them or not.”
Don largely echoed teammate’s sentiments.
“In general, I would always shake the other person’s hand,” he said.
“I grew up playing country footy where we wouldn’t his (just) shake hands with a bloke, you would go and have a beer after the game with the two teams,” Don said.
“So that is my mentality; what happened on the field you leave it there and can be mates off it.
“That’s how I approach it.” Brisbane Lions officials later issued a statement making clear that “if he (Dayne Zorko) had his time over again he would act differently”.