Gold Coast Titans lost to South Sydney Rabbits after the worst defensive performance of the 2014 NRL competition
TRAVIS MEYN GOLD COAST BULLETIN MAY 11, 2014 11:42AM



GOLD Coast coach John Cartwright is set to wield the selection axe ahead of Friday’s derby against the desperate Broncos after the Titans produced the worst defensive performance of any team this year.

Preliminary analysis by Fox Sports Statistics found the Gold Coast missed 54 tackles in *Saturday’s 40-18 loss to the Rabbitohs at Cbus Super Stadium.

The figures will be audited today but it was another match in which the Gold Coast’s frontline defence was exposed.

The Titans have missed the most tackles of any team this season and have relied on their scrambling defence to keep them in contests.

But the rampaging Rabbitohs were too hot to handle for the Titans, bursting out to a matchwinning 22-0 lead inside the opening 15 minutes to relegate the Gold Coast to their third loss this season.

The Titans travel to Suncorp Stadium on Friday for the second derby of the year and Cartwright is set to make changes.

Prop Ryan James is almost certain to be relegated to Tweed Heads after making four runs for 32m while bench hooker Matt Srama may also find himself back in the Intrust Super Cup as he continues his return from a shoulder reconstruction.

Veteran Luke Bailey will be fit to return from an ankle injury while Matt White and Paul Carter are available after serving suspensions.

Lock Ashley Harrison copped a head knock from a high tackle by Rabbitohs prop Luke Burgess but declared he would be fine to face the Broncos.

“I’m sweet. It was a bit of a head knock and I pinched a bit of a nerve in my neck,” he said. “I was just a bit dazed.”

Harrison didn’t want to speculate on possible team changes but said the Titans received a harsh reality check.

“I’m sure we all as a team have got to have a hard look at ourselves,” he said. “It was definitely a reality check anyway.’’

Vice-captain William Zillman’s performance will also come under the microscope. Zillman started at centre for the fifth time in his career as he returned from a hamstring injury and his opposite, Dylan Walker, 19, crossed for four tries.

Zillman only managed three runs and regular centres Maurice Blair (wrist) and Brad Tighe (shoulder) will be available for selection.

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Srama,Zillman & James should be the 1st players dropped if we have a coach that has any Balls..