True grit has Titans’ year back on track
THE Titans are back.
Forget the 26-14 scoreline to clinch their first competition points of the season. The biggest thing you can take from Gold Coast’s performance against Parramatta last night is the return of their trademark 2016 grit and fight.
The grit that carried them from wooden spoon favourites to a breakthrough finals appearance. The grit they will need to show to get through this horror wave of injuries.
The chips were as down as they will ever be last night. Eleven of their 30 contracted players injured. Dale Copley ruled ineligible by the NRL to be a late inclusion into their 17 to play the Eels, forcing the Titans to field their fifth first grade debutant in three weeks.
When Parramatta led 12-0 after dominating the opening 20 minutes – the Titans already a player down and forced into another drastic reshuffle by winger William Zillman’s calf injury – the home side could have collapsed.
Frustrations were at boiling point. Ash Taylor threw his hands up in the air in disbelief when Ryan Simpkins was caught at dummy-half on the last tackle in the 31st minute, squandering an attacking opportunity.
Taylor then ‘falconed’ Kevin Proctor with a hard short ball; a minute later and the Titans were down to 15 as Konrad Hurrell was forced from the field for a concussion test, forcing Proctor into the three-quarter line. All this adversity somehow only managed to spark the Titans on.
Suddenly they looked a side reborn. No longer were they getting steamrolled through the middle and that missing sense of desperation was back, as was the sheer willingness to play for one another.
Try after try they clawed their way back into the game and into a decisive lead they had no right to have.
If you couldn’t be proud as a Titans fan watching that effort, then nothing will please you.
Jarrod Wallace, Agnatius Paasi and Ryan James were inspirational, all playing big minutes and doing their best to rectify the weakness through the middle that had crippled their previous matches.
Gold Coast’s left edge attack was strong as Kane Elgey returned to his best. Debutants Tyler Cornish and Max King did all that could be asked of them. Cornish threatened with just about every touch and made crucial plays in defence.
King, promoted from under-20s, ran the ball strongly and did not look out of place.
The Titans now can roll with this much-needed confidence boost. Next up is North Queensland at Cbus Super Stadium and the Cowboys will be without enforcers Matt Scott and Jason Taumalolo.
If they win that and rise to 2-2, all of a sudden the doom and gloom will be gone.