Protect players: Brennan
TITANS coach Garth Brennan has fired up at officials’ perceived lack of care for his players after the Gold Coast were not awarded a penalty for a high shot on Ash Taylor late in their game against Melbourne.
While a penalty would have gifted the Titans a shot at goal that could have levelled the scores inside the final 10 minutes, Brennan’s frustration had more to do with the health of his playmaker (pictured), who was forced from the field.
“You lose your halfback to a head knock, everyone can see that was a high shot and no penalty? Where’s your duty of care to our players?” Brennan said after the game.
“I lose a halfback to a head knock and a clearly swinging arm and there’s no penalty – play on? Please.”
Taylor was forced from the field for the remainder of the game, with AJ Brimson shifting into the halves as the Titans attempted to fight back from a 10-8 deficit.
“I don’t want to beat up on the referees – there was a 6-0 penalty count (against us) in the second half and they were perfect up until the crusher tackle apparently – but we need to be better,” Brennan said. “(The no-penalty call) didn’t cost us, the one-on-one tackle misses and the poor discipline in the first half cost us more.”
The lapses summed up a Titans season of promise and self-sabotage that has left them outside the eight.
Overall though, their showing against the Storm gave great promise for the future.