After another uninspired performance that exposed their lack of experience and ability, it’s official – the Gold Coast Titans are the worst team in the NRL.
The Tigers’ win over Brisbane means the Titans are alone on the foot of the table, trailing the Concord club by two competition points and now having a worse for-and-against.
Their loss to Canberra exposed the same problems that have plagued the side all season, with a number of soft tries conceded and 44 missed tackles in the 36-24 defeat.
The club have now lost nine games in a row, and have won just one of their past 15 games as they close in on the club-record losing streak of 14 consecutive matches.
Though he looks to have secured his future for now, coach Justin Holbrook cut a familiar figure in the post-game press conference, once again citing inexperience as the key contributor to the defeat.
In a worrying sign for the remainder of the current campaign, it appears Holbrook already has his sights set on 2023 and the arrival of playmaker Kieran Foran.
“We let in too many soft tries and were chasing the game. It’s the same issues, inexperience in key positions is what’s costing us,” Holbrook said.
“Inexperience is what we’ve got. We can’t change that for now but we can change it for next year, we’ve just got to get on with it. Kieran (Foran) can’t get here quick enough.
“We want to get better and shuffling guys around makes it hard, but I can’t keep leaving it the way it is. We’ll have to make another few changes again next week.
“That’s what we’ve got to do at the back end of the year, get guys experience and exposure.”
“The inexperienced spine makes it so difficult, particularly on our forwards. It’s just the position we’re in.”
The Titans former lead playmaker, Jamal Fogarty, was instrumental in the Raiders’ success once again since his return from injury.
The Titans – and Holbrook – have already come under fire this year for their decision to let Fogarty go to free up cap space for highly-paid stars like David Fifita. As Fifita has struggled with injuries and form, the true cost of Fogarty’s departure has become glaringly obvious.
Though few could argue the potential Fifita brings to any side, the decision to release an experienced half and go with inexperience – at a point when the Titans looked to be building to something – could ultimately cost Holbrook in the end.