‘Bouncing’ a skill new Titan has performed
KALLUM Watkins knows a little something about bouncing back from a horror defeat.
Watkins’ second game in the NRL was one to forget as Gold Coast were flogged 58-6 by the Roosters in Sydney.
Even that was not as bad as a defeat he experienced during his 11-year English Super League career with Leeds, though.
In Round 3 of the 2017 season, the Rhinos were blown off the park 66-10 by Castleford. He still remembers the embarrassment he and his teammates felt that day.
But how quickly and effectively they turned things around had to be admired. Leeds won their next four games and would go on to win that year’s premiership, ironically beating Castleford in the decider.
The Titans’ situation is different in many ways but there are still some lessons to be taken from Watkins’ Leeds experience.
“It’s about not dwelling on it too much,” he said.
“What’s happened has happened. It was unacceptable … we let everyone down.
“Again it’s a bit too individual at times ... we need to be more together out on the field.
“Off the field it’s great, it’s been so welcoming … but when we’re on the field, especially when things get tough, we need to get it together.”
It has been a long, hard slog for the Titans in recent years but Watkins knows a tough road can lead to brighter times.
“You’re never successful unless you go through a tough patch,” he said.
“I think every time we have been successful at Leeds, there’s always been a tough patch and we’ve been able to get through it.”