DIEHARD
27-08-08, 12:13 AM
Stats show Titans only 12 points short of finals
AFTER 1760 gruelling minutes of football and more than 800 hours slugging it out on the training paddock this season, all that separates the Titans from an historic finals berth is 12 measly points.
Titans close calls:
13-12 to Knights (round 8)
20-18 to Tigers (round 11)
24-23 to Souths (round 15)
26-22 to Dragons (round 16)
25-21 to Broncos (round 24)
In a heart-breaking statistic, The Gold Coast Bulletin can reveal if the Gold Coasters could have rustled up another dozen points when it counted, they would be planning their charge at the premiership instead of organising their end of season trip.
"I know Carty (Titans coach John Cartwright) is disappointed that we are not contesting the finals series, and the players are disappointed because that is what you play for," said Titans assistant coach Steve Murphy.
"Your whole mindset is about playing the big games at the back end of the year and when you are not playing in them you see it as a failure.
"We will look back on this year and see it as one of missed opportunities.
"Some of it wasn't our own fault of course with injury and suspension and certain things derailing us. But you have to be able to respond to those things."
The Coast lost five games this season by four points or less, including one-point defeats to Newcastle and Souths.
In all five matches they lost by a combined total of just 12 points. In three of the five games they were leading at half-time.
If they had won those tight clashes the Titans would now be entrenched in the top four, just two competition points behind NRL leaders Melbourne and on level pegging with premiership powerhouse Manly.
Instead, they are sitting in 13th spot with their finals hopes crushed and still hurting following Friday night's devastating golden-point loss to Brisbane.
"After the season is finished we will probably identify a few games we could have won," said Murphy.
"The Newcastle game probably springs to mind as one we probably should have won down there.
"The Souths game too was another bad loss for us, but you can't dwell on those things. Carty made a good point after that (Brisbane) game when he spoke to the players and said, `that is the effort you have got to demand from yourselves regardless of if you are playing at ANZ Stadium with 5000 people as opposed to 40,000 people at Suncorp'.
"If we played with the same intent and attitude as we did on Friday night in Sydney against Souths we would have flogged them."
There is still an extremely slim chance the Titans could limp into the top eight. To miraculously scrape in they would need to win their last two games against Manly and the Tigers and hope the Knights and Eels both lose their remaining matches.
The Coast also need the Panthers to beat the Warriors this weekend, while hoping Penrith fall the following week against Manly.
But the fact that just 12 points is what separates the Titans' season from something stellar and the cellar shows just how close they came to giving the competition a shake this season.
"All I can say is that from a training perspective our attitude hasn't dropped off," said Murphy.
"The players trained enormously today and I can't see our attitude or effort changing ... We will be holding on like we are still a chance."
Source: http://www.goldcoast.com.au
AFTER 1760 gruelling minutes of football and more than 800 hours slugging it out on the training paddock this season, all that separates the Titans from an historic finals berth is 12 measly points.
Titans close calls:
13-12 to Knights (round 8)
20-18 to Tigers (round 11)
24-23 to Souths (round 15)
26-22 to Dragons (round 16)
25-21 to Broncos (round 24)
In a heart-breaking statistic, The Gold Coast Bulletin can reveal if the Gold Coasters could have rustled up another dozen points when it counted, they would be planning their charge at the premiership instead of organising their end of season trip.
"I know Carty (Titans coach John Cartwright) is disappointed that we are not contesting the finals series, and the players are disappointed because that is what you play for," said Titans assistant coach Steve Murphy.
"Your whole mindset is about playing the big games at the back end of the year and when you are not playing in them you see it as a failure.
"We will look back on this year and see it as one of missed opportunities.
"Some of it wasn't our own fault of course with injury and suspension and certain things derailing us. But you have to be able to respond to those things."
The Coast lost five games this season by four points or less, including one-point defeats to Newcastle and Souths.
In all five matches they lost by a combined total of just 12 points. In three of the five games they were leading at half-time.
If they had won those tight clashes the Titans would now be entrenched in the top four, just two competition points behind NRL leaders Melbourne and on level pegging with premiership powerhouse Manly.
Instead, they are sitting in 13th spot with their finals hopes crushed and still hurting following Friday night's devastating golden-point loss to Brisbane.
"After the season is finished we will probably identify a few games we could have won," said Murphy.
"The Newcastle game probably springs to mind as one we probably should have won down there.
"The Souths game too was another bad loss for us, but you can't dwell on those things. Carty made a good point after that (Brisbane) game when he spoke to the players and said, `that is the effort you have got to demand from yourselves regardless of if you are playing at ANZ Stadium with 5000 people as opposed to 40,000 people at Suncorp'.
"If we played with the same intent and attitude as we did on Friday night in Sydney against Souths we would have flogged them."
There is still an extremely slim chance the Titans could limp into the top eight. To miraculously scrape in they would need to win their last two games against Manly and the Tigers and hope the Knights and Eels both lose their remaining matches.
The Coast also need the Panthers to beat the Warriors this weekend, while hoping Penrith fall the following week against Manly.
But the fact that just 12 points is what separates the Titans' season from something stellar and the cellar shows just how close they came to giving the competition a shake this season.
"All I can say is that from a training perspective our attitude hasn't dropped off," said Murphy.
"The players trained enormously today and I can't see our attitude or effort changing ... We will be holding on like we are still a chance."
Source: http://www.goldcoast.com.au