Titans target defence
THE Titans are desperate to remedy their defensive woes, with players put on notice after their Manly disaster.
Gold Coast’s 30-10 loss to the Sea Eagles means they have now leaked 292 points this season, one fewer than the hapless Knights.
The Titans were subjected to a horror movie yesterday as they watched video of the loss, with their defensive foibles totally exposed.
The Titans have trailed slightly new defensive patterns this season and while getting them down pat was always going to take time, the team has few excuses for some of the errors that riddled games in recent weeks.
Winger Anthony Don said the players were left with no doubt that their places in the team depended on their ability to come to grips with defensive rules.
“The main job for us in the next fortnight before we play the Cowboys is fixing up our defence and buying into the system and hopefully not leaking as many tries,” he said. “It’s just a slightly different system to what we’re used to but we’ve got to get on board and get used to it.
“And it’s quite clear that if we don’t do it, we won’t be in the team.”
The Titans are conceding an average 26.5 points this season, just better than bottom-placed Newcastle (26.6).
The tale is only slightly better at Cbus Super Stadium, with the Titans’ ability to hold the Knights to just eight points earlier this month the only thing that prevents their average from blowing out.
“We had a lapse on the weekend like we have had a few others weeks,” Don said.
“But this time we didn’t score nearly enough points to get in the game.”
The Titans’ finals run last season was built on defence, something that is generally a trademark of Neil Henry’s teams. That has been necessary over the past few years given the Coast’s inability to score freely. But that is not a problem this season and if they can remedy their issues around the ruck and make better decisions out wide, they will be a genuine force.
Winger Dale Copley, whose left side was attacked relentlessly by Manly on Saturday, said improvement has to come by everyone.
“It’s more about practising our principles,” said Copley, whose left side will train without NSW Origin squad member Jarryd Hayne this week.
“We’re focusing on it not mattering who’s there - whether it’s me, Jarryd, or whoever else will play centre/ wing for the rest of the year.”