Yesterday’s loss to the Canberra Raiders has seen the Gold Coast Titans miss a chance to keep themselves in the hunt for a top eight berth.
After such a strong start to the year, winning six out of the first eight matches, their season appears to have gone off the rails. They have one win from the last eight weeks.
Since joining the NRL, the Titans have only been in the finals twice from seven seasons. They have been unable to reach the finals since 2010, when Scott Prince led the side to the one win from the grand final.
If they’re unable to reach the finals for the fourth consecutive year, some changes must be made.
Injuries have been a concern this season, with Aiden Sezer and Albert Kelly suffering long stints on the sideline. The loss of these two, as well as Jamal Idris before the season began, has been unfortunate.
The Titans have a number of strong young players coming through the grades who will only get better, including Paul Carter, James Roberts, Matt Srama, Kevin Gordon, David Mead, Sezer and Kelly. They also have Origin stars Greg Bird, Dave Taylor and Nate Myles.
This team is a strong mixture of experience and youth. A very strong team on paper who just can’t perform to their potential.
David Mead and Brad Takairangi are both currently playing out of position. David Mead has shown he has the potential to be an exciting prospect at fullback. He needs to be moved back there for William Zillman, who should move to the centres.
Brad Takairangi looked like a very strong young player at the Roosters playing in the backrow. His form there was superb compared to his current position, centre. He needs to return to the edges so a speedster can play in the centres, such as Zillman or Maurice Blair.
It is important for these two to move as soon as possible and begin the rebuilding for future years to come.
The loss of Ashley Harrison will impact the Titans for next year, they’re losing a smart footballer and a great personality. The signing of Daniel Mortimer was brilliant – he is a fantastic footballer, who will presumably be playing in the hooking role from next year when Sezer returns.
Lastly, the coach. It’s time to move on from John Cartwright. He’s a smart coach who would be valuable in a coaching administration role but it’s time to bring in some fresh ideas and style to help transform this Titans side to a premiership force.
A 47 per cent win rate since taking over the Titans in 2007 is quite simply not good enough. It’s time to try their hand on the market, or look at the possibility of Neil Henry moving from assistant to fulltime coach.
What do you think? How would you get the Titans to a premiership force?
Twitter – @Joshayyyy21
Marco
Guest
Hard market the Gold Coast. I used to live there. It is hard to get the feel of tribalism that sporting clubs get in other cities. The titans have hard competition on the field but even harder competition off the field with the Gold Coast suns building a strong following. The management need to perform a lot better.
Callum Murphy
Roar Rookie
Carter is No Reject, just a great signing
Josh Allerton
Roar Guru
Can't disagree with much here, the 5 year deals are just stupid. 3 years is enough, anymore than that for average players and coaches is a slap in the face
Josh Allerton
Roar Guru
John? I didn't say throw him in the deep in straight away, i just said it's a possibility.
Casper
Guest
Gold Coast is a graveyard for sporting teams, look at the history. Holiday venue where good players go to get a big payday & put their feet up. They have never made the most of signing talent from Palm Beach Currumbin or Keebra Park SHS's. As for the good young players coming through the ranks, a lot of the list you named are rejects from other clubs on their second, third or last chances (Roberts, Kelly, Carter) and that doesn't augur well for club off-field behavior, especially if you throw Myles & Bird into the mix. Bennett reckons Dave Taylor is a player without a conscience, so that's a negative. Don't see Mead getting fullback off the captain Zillman, who's proven to have been out of his depth when playing in the centres, so Mead will probably look elsewhere (Bulldogs?). His manager has already started to get vocal in public which is a bad sign. U 20's are struggling & very few players come out of that comp into the NRL without serving an apprenticeship in the Intrust cup. Of their last 5 years U 20 players of the year, Matt Srama would be the pick & that's not a big wrap.Esi Tonga, Kayne Lawton, Sam Irwin & Matt Beddow have not been sighted. Compare that to Alex Glenn, Ben Hunt, Andrew mcCullough, Josh McGuire, Dale Copley & Corey Norman of late & they are under performing. I reckon there's little upside to the Titans, aging pack & no standout back-line match winner condemns them to being also-rans unless there are major changes at the top. What are the odds of 1 or 2 players asking for early contract releases before the 2015 season?
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
John, Before you get excited about replacing your current coach with Neil Henry you should probably look at his record when he had one of the best lists in the NRL. His % is no better than Cartys.
tigerdave
Guest
PJB spot on. Thank you for the insights. It conforms my suspicions.
PJB
Guest
Until Michael Searle is removed nothing will change, unfortunately for Titans fans he has majority ownership in the club and will never surrender this, the mans ego is out of control. Some of Searle's pearls of wisdom include; 1. Building a "Centre of Excellence" instead of establishing a Leagues club. We all know how that turned out. 2. Telling the world that Jamal Idris had signed with the Titans on a 5 yr. deal with his own TV show being shot from said Centre of Excellence. 3. Handing John Cartwright a 5 year deal. 4. Handing William Zillman a 5 year deal. 6. Employing all his relatives / mates from the Tweed Seagulls in critical back of office roles - people who didn't have the relevant skills to do the job required. Having worked in the organisation for a period of time there were numerous things that kept morale of staff low i.e late salary payments yet the boss was sunning himself at a 5 star resort overseas. Until the Titans rid Searle, his henchman nothing will change. Unfortunately Graham Annersley is just a front man for Searle like David May was before him.
tigerdave
Guest
The Titans have real issues. They are the most boring sid ein the competition to watch. Sure they get into arm wrestles that they sometimes win, but the crowds are talking with their feet. It's time to look at the coach and the guy whio signed him to a 5 year deal, of which there are two left. In recent times they have has a bad max of players. They have 2 quality fullbacks (Mead and Zillman), two quality wingers....no centres that would make it at any other club in the competition, Sezer is work in progress and is going to be something special. Kelly as a half needs to be consistent and lead the team around the paddock. He is brilliant at times, but uis dismal att imes. He tries too manty intercepts and doesn't give the team direction. They have a quality pack. The ball stops at 7 and if it gets past the 6, the centres are ordinary and it rarely gets to the dynamic back three. It;s been the same old, same old for a few years now. Idris was thought to have been the answer, the coach couldn;'t find a way to isolate the biggest backling eunit in the competition on a defender.....Cleary has and look att he difference. At the Titans Idris received plenty of ball but in traffic. Lets look at the total proghram there. The under 20's have always been in the bottom three of the competition. There is very little talent coming through. The Titans have been disgraceful in building their program. A lot needs to change there but with Searle, and one of his mates Annersley running the show...nothing will. That will result in the club continuing run of bottom half of the ladder finishes and the crowds continuing to vote woth their wallets and feet.