The Gold Coast Titans will be desperate for a turnaround heading into Round 3 of the 2025 NRL season after starting their season with a horror loss to the Canterbury Bulldogs at Belmore.

The Titans, who had the bye in Round 1, had plenty of question marks coming into the season with a new-look halves combination of Jayden Campbell and AJ Brimson leading those.

Speaking on The Offload podcast, former NRL premiership winner Jamie Soward hinted at how tough it is to start with a bye, but admitted he isn't sold on the Gold Coast's new halves combination.

"They looked like a team that missed Round 1 and it must be hard, starting the season with a bye, you start a week later, train a little bit longer and they just looked rusty. I think they are going to be okay," Soward said on the show.

"There are going to be some talking points out of there.

"Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, the way he played. It's great to see him back.

"Am I sold on the Brimson-Campbell halves combination? Probably not yet. They just look like their kicking game is going to struggle this year.

"When they are on the front foot they are going to be dynamic, but when they are back against it like against the Bulldogs, you feel like one of those guys has to go 'we aren't going to score this set, I have to take myself out and kick'.

"I think they'll be okay the Titans, their pack just look like they needed a run to be honest."

The decision made by Des Hasler to leave gun second-rower David Fifita on the bench for the Titans' opening game of the season before only playing 31 minutes also raised eyebrows.

Soward pondered whether the Titans will use him correctly if he is left on the bench long-term.

"Putting him [Fifita] out there when they were getting steamrolled, he isn't the guy who was going to come into the middle and change that," Soward said on him.

"I think that David is such a special player, and that's the other thing, if he is going to start from the bench, how much are you going to get out of him in 30 or 40 minutes?"

The comments come with Titans' CEO Steve Mitchell admitting this week that he has no issues with Fifita playing from the bench for the Titans as he works his way back from a limited pre-season.

The Titans clash with the Newcastle Knights in Round 3.

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