Turning around the Coast’s reputation
TITANS coach Justin Holbrook has rubbished talk professional sporting teams can’t thrive on the Gold Coast, insisting their future comes down to one thing – winning.
Wooden spooners for the second time in club history last season, the Titans’ 2020 campaign got off to another shaky start with a lacklustre 24-6 loss away to Canberra last weekend. While they have the chance to make amends when they host the Eels behind closed doors at Robina tomorrow, the early loss does little to douse constant talk from south of the border over the club’s long-term future.
The Titans have endured more than their fair share of disappointment since their formation in 2007, reaching the finals just three times in 13 seasons amid a string of off-field controversies.
The Gold Coast Suns AFL franchise has likewise struggled for on-field success, while professional rugby league, baseball and basketball teams based on the Glitter Strip have all folded in years gone by.
However, Holbrook said silencing the Titans’ critics was as simple as letting their footy do the talking.
“I can’t talk about other sports but in terms of us, it comes down to us performing,” the first-year NRL coach said.
“I think (being on the Gold Coast) has always been an excuse. You look at Burleigh Bears (who) won the Intrust Super Cup (last year), and there’s sides from Brisbane, Townsville, Cairns, Mackay, Papua New Guinea.
“They’re everywhere from Queensland and a side from the Gold Coast won it so I think that’s an excuse we don’t want to use any more up here. We want to compete every week and there’s a couple of things as players and staff that we want to do something about.”