HIP HIP HURRELL
Cult hero delivers – but bigger test sits ahead
MOMENTS after sealing a stunning come-from-behind win, Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan has declared his side must be better if they want to make it a two-from-two start to the season.
Brennan admitted a weight was lifted off his shoulders last night when a 79th minute Konrad Hurrell try delivered the Titans a 30-28 victory over Canberra in his first start as an NRL coach. It didn’t come easy.
Trouble loomed when the Green Machine sprinted to an 18-0 lead inside 11 minutes.
But Brennan had seen enough during the preseason to not give up hope.
He knows more will be needed if they are to prevail against bogey side the Warriors across the ditch in Round 2.
“I just wanted to see the effort from the boys and I wasn’t seeing that in the first half which really disappointed me,” Brennan said.
“I challenged them at halftime: Forget about the scoreboard, forget about the clock, just show me effort and show me how much you want it … and never give up.
“The result and the scoreboard will look after itself, I’m a big believer in that.
“This comp is tough. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon and ... we have a big challenge to fly over to New Zealand and take on a side that had a really good win (on Saturday).
“So we’re going to enjoy (the win), no doubt about that, but we have got to realise we have to be better than that because that first half wasn’t acceptable.”
A major focus for the squad will be defence.
Brennan conceded his side was outmuscled early and the defence on the whole “was nowhere near up to scratch.”
Among the players to receive praise was recruit Mitch Rein, who was effective off the bench at dummy-half.