3 minute read

A slipshod performance in losing to the Warriors has prompted Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan to read the riot act to his players.

Given the problems piling up for the Gold Coast Titans, the last thing they needed was a sarcastic taunt from the ground announcer at Mt Smart Stadium.

When centre Brian Kelly became the fourth different Titans player to spill a simple high kick midway through Friday's 26-10 NRL loss to the Warriors, it prompted a booming announcement across the sound system.

"Well, that was a surprise."

Coach Garth Brennan wouldn't have been amused but he's got bigger issues to contend with after witnessing Gold Coast's worst display in a winless start to the season which has stretched to a club-record four games.

Brennan sounded like a frustrated school teacher as he went through where his players got it so wrong against a Warriors team whose own confidence had been low following hefty losses over the two previous weeks.

"Those guys need to do their job. They need to catch the ball, that's their job," he said.

"We knew we needed to complete, we knew we needed to play field position and we didn't tick those boxes. We paid the penalty."

Brennan didn't want to hear any excuses such as a five-day turnaround since last week's fighting loss to South Sydney, or the fact it was the first full hitout this season for fit-again halves Ash Taylor and Tyrone Roberts.

The pair launched raids that the coach believed were too lateral, although he added that teammates were equally to blame for that.

Early failures to break down a committed Warriors defence brought the worst out in the Titans from that point on, Brennan added.

"They were trying to fluff their way out of a hole they got themselves in and it just got worse. Instead of being patient, we're a side that's panicking a little bit."

Home games against the Panthers and Knights will offer a chance to get off the mark but Brennan warned it won't happen if their completion rate remains pitifully low.