Titans have sinking feeling in race for finals
THE Cowboys could dominate Queensland’s Origin team for years to come after Hamiso Tabuai-fidow and Heilum Luki sunk the Titans and sent the Gold Coast crashing into wooden-spoon contention.
A hamstring injury to fullback Jayden Campbell compounded the Titans’ eighth loss in nine rounds, a 32-6 defeat on Thursday that has heaped pressure on Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook to stop the rot.
While the Titans were without captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Origin) and David Fifita (knee), they failed to fire a shot and are now anchored in the
NRL’S bottom four.
The Titans are now entering the dreaded zone of being a mathematical chance of making the finals.
That’s not where you want to be after only 13 rounds, let alone when your club thought it was a genuine finals team.
To qualify for finals the Titans are going to need to win about nine of their last 11 games.
With matches against topeight teams South Sydney and Cronulla to come in the next fortnight, the Gold Coast’s season could be over before they have a bye.
Adding to the Titans woes is the decision of utility Will Smith to walk out on the club in mysterious circumstances.
Smith has been immediately released from the remainder of his contract, despite the Titans needing playmakers after fullback Jayden Campbell suffered a hamstring injury in the loss to the Cowboys.
Smith hasn’t been sighted at training since starting at fiveeighth in the Gold Coast’s Round 9 loss to the Roosters.
He was dropped after the 44-16 defeat, with speculation swirling that he wanted to get out of the free-falling club immediately.
That has proved to be true, with the Titans confirming Smith’s departure on Friday with a short statement.