On Saturday afternoon, the Gold Coast Titans’ 2021 season came to an end at the hands of the Sydney Roosters, who managed to hold on to win by 25-24.
It was an unbelievable match.
The Roosters seemed to do everything in their power to lose the game and the Titans weren’t quite good enough to take advantage of that.
There was no better example of this than the final play of the game where the Titans managed to make their way down the field via a Beau Fermor break.
A couple of plays later, Patrick Herbert opted to go himself rather than offloading to David Fifita despite an overlap. There was then an attempted flick pass by Herbert to Corey Thompson, which rolled into touch.
In the aftermath of that play, it sounded like Thompson was screaming almost what we were all thinking.
I feel deeply sorry for Herbert in this moment, but also recognise that these are the opportunities you need to take if you are going to win finals matches.
There were several times in the lead-up to the play where the Titans just took the wrong option: Herbert opting not to take the tackle, Herbert opting to flick it over the sideline rather than in the other direction, Fermor and Phillip Sami seeming to get their wires crossed and almost bumping into each other when Fermor made the break.
That loss will hurt the Titans and it ends a successful season for them.
(Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
But just how successful? Does their season deserve a pass mark? Particularly when you consider they were one of the only teams that did not have to permanently relocate this year and were able to still play games at their home ground.
The Titans finished in the top eight and played finals footy for the first time since 2016. That is a significant achievement, despite finishing the season with a 10-14 win-loss record and only managing to beat one team above them on the ladder (a win over the Newcastle Knights in Round 5).
Interestingly, last year the Titans did the same, but finished ninth.
But that’s the thing about making the top eight. If you finish in eighth position, you are the mid-point in the ladder. It makes sense that you are average.
Gold Coast generally managed to beat the teams below them and found themselves in a position where they made the top eight.
Despite playing finals footy, I can’t help feeling like they have underachieved this season and haven’t progressed much further than where they finished in 2020.
Many pundits had them firmly placed in their top eights at the start of the year, partly due to recruitment, which saw both David Fifita and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui join the club. In particular, Fifita did so on big coin.
(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
While Fifita was impressive this year, I expected more of him given his size, athleticism and talent.
In recent weeks the decision was made to play Fifita off the bench. I struggle to understand why given the immediate impact he has when he comes onto the field.
The key for this team next year will be learning to work together as a team and challenging Fifita to increase his involvement.
At the moment, there are plenty of good individual players who have been able to get the Titans’ results when needed; players like Jayden Campbell, AJ Brimson, Herbert, Thompson, Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita. The Titans’ wins do not seem to come off the back of a cohesive team effort and this is problematic.
This is a good team of individual performers that struggles to put together complete performances on a consistent basis.
Additionally, they are a team that tend to do well when they get a roll on, but struggle when play does not go their way.
(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
I recall the game against the Manly Sea Eagles where the final score was 56-24 and the Titans did not touch the ball for 15 minutes in the second half.
A number of performances this year have made me question the resilience of the team, particularly when you compare them to the more resilient teams in the competition like the Roosters, who no matter how much their backs are against the wall, just continue to compete.
This suggests a lack of leadership in the playing group.
To make the top eight next year, these things will need to change and I wonder whether as many pundits will be as keen to put the Titans into their top eight next year?
It’s certainly going to be a different looking team with Ash Taylor, Tyrone Peachey and Mitch Rein being among six players being let go by the club. This seems to suggest that the likes of Toby Sexton are the future of this club.
Even with those departures, the Titans still have the talent, but whether this team can take the next step remains to be seen.
MORDAC
Roar Rookie
Given they had a million dollar passenger and a few grossly overpaid players from the previous regime, they get a pass.
steveng
Roar Rookie
That’s 100% correct, no complaints here “mushi” with us calm and objective go hand in hand :laughing:
Joshua
Guest
It is a bit harsh but they've had better squads than this that have struggled to make an impact. Im keen to see the way they progress under holbrook. My brother is a massive fan and a member of the club long time and he gets plenty of invites and messages from the club, something he said started recently with the new management. Their engagement on the Gold Coast is also evident. Ive probably garnered a soft spot for them but they seem to be giving their all and are failing due to lack of execution and talent let alone effort. I wish them the best, and a bloke whose team has succumbed to going broke and getting kicked from the comp, I very much wish they dont suffer the same fate.
Pom
Guest
How have they under achieved? All the pressure was on them to make the 8 after Fifita was signed, especially mid - season this year when they werent travelling too well. Well, they made the 8 so... now theyre underachieving? Making the eight this year has probably taken alot of pressure off the players in the squad for next year, knowing they've got a squad that can play finals footy and match it for 80 minutes against a tough, well coached and drilled Roosters team. They'll be fine, think of this year as an experiment for them, they'll be fine next season of Fifita can consistently play 80 mins either on the edge or in the middle.
Contego
Guest
2019 stone cold motherless last, 2020 going terrible until they couldn’t make the finals and then finished strong, 2021 just snuck into the 8. Overall showing decent signs. Anyone thinking they would finish anywhere above 7 was kidding themselves - half back who at best is solid, 5/8 (Taylor) who doesn’t run or tackle, hookers who wouldn’t make any of the top 6 teams and an injury prone fullback. Basically an average spine at best and good teams have good spines Hopefully Holbrook can turn Brimson into a quality 5/8 and the hooker from Brisbane Easts is decent
Andy J
Roar Rookie
Didn’t realise playing origin made you old?
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Because Fifita doesn’t run lines like your traditional edge, but explodes thru, Holbrook may experiment with him in the middle alongside Tino and Moe. Side could really get a lot more bang for buck out of him.
Joe
Roar Rookie
I'll give them a pass for getting to the 8 which is right where I had them. Brimson being injured for a chunk and to still make the 8 I think is an achievement. Also they were 1 pass away from making it to week 2 of the finals.
John Shaw
Roar Rookie
Thank you.
Larry1950
Guest
Sorry Joshua, not sure if you’ve claimed they’re a young side but Thompson, Wallace, Peachey & a host of their fill ins have been around for years. Four forwards with origin experience, 3 backs as well should be plenty to guide the pluggers. Fermor has been grossly underrated & shuffled around when he should be a starter every week.
Tony
Roar Guru
Hi John. I read today that he has been released. He can play a few positions in the forwards, notably back row and hooker.
Larry1950
Guest
I’m with you Mary, underachievement given their recruitment. Based on what I saw across the season, Tino consistently put in like a $1M player, Fifita put in when the hard yards were done by others. As a bronco fan, I reckon we dodged a bullet in the bidding war, Fifita’s got untold talent but not the application. They’ll be concerned with his output when the lesser lights have to do his tackling. Wallace finished the year ok.
Fix the scrums
Guest
I'd only just give them a pass, but they are a hard team to watch.
mushi
Roar Guru
Luckily we have souths fans to give us their calm considered objective opinion.
SAVAGE
Guest
Fix the halves, everything else is in place. Some of those passes in that last game were momentum killers.
Walter Black
Guest
I would go further than that. This year they were very very lucky to play finals footy at all. A pass mark next year is going to require a better ride into the eight, a better placing than eighth, a better points difference than negative and to win at least half of their matches. Going further in the finals would be a bonus at this stage.
John Shaw
Roar Rookie
Tony, Do you know what the story is with Hayden Lomax? Is he still a Dragon in 2022 and what is his best position please?
no one in particular
Roar Guru
The other 23 games contributed to it too
dogs
Guest
This year was a weird table, with the top 3 winning heaps more games than usual (only 10 losses between them) means the average "pass mark" was going to be pushed lower. Thus the 10-14. I did have a chuckle at Campbell being in the list of players who can "deliver a result", when he has only actually won one game. But I know what was meant. For me I would stick with Brimson, I think he's a better fullback. No harm in having depth (especially as Brimson has been injured for several games each year). As I said in another thread, I hate the focus on how much players are getting paid - it seems to only be used as a tool to criticise players. I think it's a but unfair to bag Fifita when he was the top try scoring forward by some distance (think he was 5 ahead of B.Smith). He doesn't contribute like a F.Kafusi (for example), but not many 21yo edge forwards do. Its a hard position to learn, and physically demanding. My gut feel (would be interested to see the stats) is that if you had average age of players per position - edge forwards would be and the older end.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Another thing is you don't just throw in a few decent players and suddenly play at your best. Cohesion takes some time.