CRACKING THE TAYLOR CODE
TITANS coach Justin Holbrook is confident he can crack the Ash Taylor code by switching the Gold Coast playmaker to five-eighth.
Taylor will make his first NRL appearance in No.6 when the Titans take on North Queensland in Townsville tonight. Taylor has played all of his 82 NRL games at halfback, a position he dominated as a junior on his way to debuting for the Broncos in 2015.
After a lacklustre start, Holbrook has made a huge call to shift Taylor and hand Intrust Super Cup gun Jamal Fogarty the halfback duties.
The move could be defining for both Taylor and the Titans.
Taylor is a key player for the Gold Coast club.
At 25 and on a $1 million-aseason contract until the end of 2021, the Titans need their highest-paid player to fire if they are to be an NRL force.
Holbrook said the switch would alleviate the pressure on the talented Taylor and allow him to play with the spark that made him an NRL sensation in his early years.
“It’s about finding our right balance and connection as a team,” he said.
“That’s what we feel is best and I’m looking forward to seeing them in action.
“I’m not sure it’s the last roll of the dice, I think it suits him.
“We’ve put him in that organising role and it hasn’t worked for us.
“When I had that six weeks off I had to think long and hard about our side and how we’re going to get the best out of every player.
“Ash is no different to that. He plays a big role. We had to look to get the best out of him.
“Jamal is a much more natural organising type of player, which makes it easier to let Ash worry about playing that standard five-eighth role where he might just touch it once in a set-of-six but make it count. It’s the best for our team and Ash.”
Holbrook informed Taylor of the switch before the Titans resumed training following the six-week shutdown and said his playmaker took it well.
“He was fine, it doesn’t change his role in the team,” Holbrook said.
“He’s not changing the way he plays, he just doesn’t have to worry about telling everyone else what to do.”
The Titans were dealt a late double blow yesterday, with winger Anthony Don (knee) and fullback Tyrone Roberts (ankle) ruled out of the Cowboys game. Phillip Sami will shift to fullback while Jonus Pearson and Brian Kelly will be called on to the wings.