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2024 Season General Discussion Thread

lonegull said:
Great to see the club also working on building with the old boy great initiative
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Absolutely. I also think the Broncos have an active policy of running intereference. They have quite a number of fan favourites on their books (Ryan, Mead, Prince). Sure they played for the Broncos for a time, but so did many others.
 
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From 0-6 and training ‘blow-ups’ to finals contention: The Titans’ remarkable turnaround under Des

‘Work out who he could count on’: The ‘blow-ups’ before Des’ wild Titans revival
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From 0-6 and training ‘blow-ups’ to finals contention: The Titans’ remarkable turnaround under Des

It was on a golf course last summer that veteran halfback Kieran Foran predicted how things would play out for the Gold Coast Titans under new coach Des Hasler.

Turns out he was pretty much spot on, but his belief would surely have been tested during some dark times early this season.

Foran and Hasler go way back to 2009 when the legendary coach gave the New Zealander his NRL debut for Manly against Canberra.

They went on to win a premiership together in 2011 and few know Hasler — the man dubbed the ‘mad scientist’ — as well as Foran.

The Titans can keep their finals hopes alive tonight at home against the Cronulla Sharks – a remarkable scenario many would’ve laughed at a few months ago.

Hasler’s tenure on the Gold Coast couldn’t have got off to a worse start.

The Titans lost their first six matches and looked like a bonafide wooden spoon side. A season-ending injury to star forward and skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui in Round 3 certainly didn’t help, but it was the manner of the performances that were most alarming.

However ex-Titans great and dual international Mat Rogers was prepared for it – by Foran.

“I had a pretty fortunate insight into things because Kieran Foran is a good mate of mine,” Rogers said.

“We were playing a lot of golf before the season and he told me it was going to take a couple of months for things to start working.

“From what I understood there was a few blow-ups at training and I guess, from the outside looking in, Des was trying to work out who he could count on.

“Kieran painted a bit of picture to me as to what was happening so I had some faith that they’d get it right.”

But at 0-6, Rogers — like just about everybody — was worried.

And he thought about the way the two-time premiership winner with Manly joined the Titans, after the club ruthlessly axed long-serving coach Justin Holbrook.

“It happened so quick and no-one knew about it. I wondered if they did their due diligence,” Rogers admitted.

“It was a pretty bold move to go and sign Des and to do it covertly the way they did.

“There were some nervous moments early on, there’s no question about it.

“I have no role with the club but having a friendship with Kieran and getting that insight did ease my mind in terms of the direction the club was going.”

TEACHING BOYS TO BECOME MEN

Rogers will present the game ball at Friday night’s match, having played for both Cronulla and the Gold Coast during his 200-game NRL career.

Rogers, who played eight games for Queensland and 11 Tests for Australia, knew Hasler had a job to do when he saw the Titans players before round one.

“I did go to the season launch and I was shocked at how young the squad looked,” he said.

“I think Des has come in and taught these young fellas what it takes to be a top level NRL player.

“He’s got an aura about him and when he talks to these young players they certainly listen.

“Maybe with previous coaches, who haven’t had the success Des has had, it was hard to have that type of influence.”

Rogers said the Titans have always been stacked with talented players, but that alone wasn’t enough to translate to consistent wins at the NRL level.

He says Hasler has lifted the players “up a notch or two” as the season has progressed.

‘GETTING IN THE GRIND’

Hasler has changed the dynamic of how the football club operates. He’s the man, and the players know it.

The Titans have won six of their past nine matches to sit four points outside the top eight.

They’re starting to find some consistency which has been missing from the club for a good decade or more.

Fox League’s Gorden Tallis said on NRL 360 this week that the Titans had finally found a hard edge.

“They’re getting in the grind,” Tallis said.

“The Titans, dare I say, have got some resilience in them. They’ve got some fight and they’re not going away.”

Rogers says it’s because Hasler has taught them how to be top professionals.

It can be seen in the likes of exciting fullback Keano Kini and winger Jojo Fifita.

“One thing about being a pro is it’s about living it day in, day out,” Rogers said.

“I’ve heard players over the years say they don’t watch footy and they want to get away from it when they can but you can’t because it’s your life.

“Anyone who thinks they can just rock up to training, go play a game, then the minute they walk away from the field they can forget about it, they’ll have an average career.

“I think Des has helped a lot of these younger guys understand what it takes to perform each week.

“If there’s one guy that epitomises that week in, week out toughness it’s Des, from his playing day through to his coaching career.”

The success on the field of late is just the tip of the iceberg for the Titans.

Under Hasler, Rogers believes talented players from around the country would now see the Titans as an attractive club to progress their career.

“Players didn’t used to come to the Titans and get better,” Rogers said.

“Look at what Toby Sexton is doing (at Canterbury) now. That didn’t happen at the Titans.

“Look at Jamal Fogarty. He was a good player but has got better at Canberra. Look at Jahrome Hughes. He leaves the Titans and has got better.”

The Titans — now 8-11 — must beat the Sharks tonight to be any chance of making the finals.

They head into the game on the back of a 46-18 thumping of Brisbane and will start favourites against the fourth-placed Sharks – something that sounded impossible just weeks ago.

It was typical Hasler when asked about the match during the week.

All he did was tell anyone who’d ask how good the Sharks were.

“We’ve put last week to bed and our focus is on a top four side so it’s another real challenge for us against a classy footy side,” Hasler said.

“They’re a really good side full of attacking options and they probably think they’ve got just as much to play for so it will be another good game of footy.”
 
Upthetits said:
Good or bad
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He was good

Had a few moments he was a bit off his assignment with positioning in shape and conceded an error because of it but first touch he had a try assist and second touch he scored out of nothing. Should’ve had another try assist too but got called back. His first touch he threw a hot cutout pass to put his winger over for a try that looked like it went nearly half the width of the field. Couldn’t help but imagine lofi on the end of those.

He’ll keep learning and improving. I think today they just wanted him playing as simple as he could as he learns the game. His kicking and game management will be a steep learning curve from union to league
 
willhelm said:
@NZTITAN how are your undies
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I'll let you know once this rager goes down..


Hail Sezer said:
Tweed v PNG highlights

www.qrl.com.au

Round 21 clash of the week: Hunters v Seagulls

Huge momentum swings and epic tries were theme of a thrilling clash that had PNG Hunters running out 42-30 victors over Tweed Seagulls. Video: Bill Scurfield/QRL
www.qrl.com.au www.qrl.com.au
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CG is a beast out there, even the way he moves looks head and shoulders above the others, looking very confident.

That first pass is one no one else on our roster could pull off and frankly probably no one ever in a Titans jersey other than … Hayne?, lol.

Long-term CG @ 7 is a pretty freakish thought considering his size at 6’2” sub-100kgs, very long passing ability, and with that try he scored, his size and power close to the line. He would present as a matchup nightmare from day one.

Way ahead of where I thought he would be. I hope he gives it a real crack with us and we don’t play silly buggers and promise jerseys over him, he’s a real genuine difference maker.
 
Meanwhile, the Titans’ Rugby convert Carter Gordon switched to five-eighth after spending his first two Queensland Cup games in the centres and looked right at home. The 23-year-old scored a try for Tweed, set another up, got a linebreak, six tackle busts and 83 running metres. He also kicked a 40-20.

He now has three tries, three try assists and four linebreaks in three appearances.


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Rugby convert’s explosive halves statement; Manly boost as star finally returns: Reserves Wrap

Rugby ace’s explosive halves switch; exiled star’s message to Payten: Ressies Wrap
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