Titans will be fine in the next downpour

DALE Copley says Gold Coast will be better prepared the next time they play wet weather footy after being taught a lesson by Canberra on Sunday.

The Raiders were too good in a 21-0 victory that Copley believes was largely set up by the savvy playmaking of their hooker Josh Hodgson, halfback Aidan Sezer and fiveeighth Jack Wighton.

“We will learn a fair bit from that,” the Titans centre said.

“We barely had a drop of rain all summer – we get pretty good weather up here – so we practise a lot of ball movement and (Sunday) night certainly was not the night for that.

“Their nine, seven and six really played the conditions well and kicked us into tough positions and we found it difficult getting out of our end all night and then when we got the ball, we were pushing passes and couldn’t string a set together.

“We will dissect the game and if and when it arises again, we will be better prepared.”

A quad injury to Ash Taylor granted Copley a late reprieve after he had missed the initial cut for the Titans’ top 17 for Round 1.

The 27-year-old former Bronco and Rooster scraped onto the bench but was soon called into action after Tyrone Roberts limped off the field, with Tyrone Peachey switching from the centres to fiveeighth.

“It was good to play some footy,” he said. “I played a lot more than what I sort of had anticipated but yeah it was good to get out there and get some game time under my belt.”

The Titans next face Cronulla at Shark Park on Saturday.