Round 23: TITANS vs STORM

[willhelm]

Agreed mate, Im hoping they get JC into the same role Papz was playing for the storm at the start of the season. Just coming up into the attacking line every set looking to get involved, he will be deadly in broken play as he can just explode pace wise and has nasty step

I like JC a lot too but I think many of us are prematurely getting caught up in the hype because we're desperate. The kid has a great game sense and looks cool as a cucumber, but he just lacks the size right now and is getting monstered every time he takes the line on. He also hasn't been involved much in the playmaking yet. Whether that's because he's the new kid on the block and Fogarty/Taylor won't let him, I don't know, but all of his good plays have been a result of being in the right place at the right time rather than setting others up like the top fullbacks do. I think it will come in time but I'm also hoping he packs on some size this coming pre-season so he can stop getting ragdolled like Bevan French.

[Hail Sezer]

I actually reckon JC holds his own pretty well in the contact for his size. He's got a reasonably heavy carry and seems to find a way to not get dragged. Tough kid too. Some extra weight definitely would help him but I've been surprised with how he has handled the physical side of things

[Titanic]

I also think his strength has been surprising and he’s how old? Certainly has a long way to go but has a great foundation to build on.

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast Titans Press Conference | Round 23, 2021 | Telstra Premiership | NRL
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[Hail Sezer]

Titans playmakers at odds over reasons for Melbourne defeat

Nic Darveniza, GCB, 24/08/2021

THE Gold Coast Titans’ creators and finishers are at loggerheads over the true culprits behind the second-half collapse against Melbourne that has left their season on a knife edge.

On Monday, newly re-signed winger Greg Marzhew said the latest fade-out was a product of the Titans trying too hard to land a knockout punch in the opposition red zone.

Their mistake, Marzhew said, had been getting caught up in “dumb footy” against one of the NRL’s most ruthless punishers of mistakes.

“When it comes to the end of sets, we need to pick the high-percentage plays instead of the stuff we’ve been doing the last two weeks,” the try-scoring winger said.

“It was just getting away from what we did best. Against those kind of teams, you really don’t want to drop off and give them any cues to take advantage of.

“If we played smart and just held the lead, I reckon we could win a lot more games.”

Team co-captain Jamal Fogarty, the shot-caller for Marzhew’s right edge unit, was shocked to hear that assessment.

“I’m not too sure what the other boys are talking about there,” Fogarty said after learning of his winger’s words.

“Our structure is designed for us to play football if we see something in the defensive line that we like.

“Sometimes it just doesn’t come off but we’ve been doing that since pre-season here.

“We would like to execute it every time if we could but unfortunately we’re not able to do that all time.

“I think it’s about making sure if we are going to play it cute just being confident and back ourselves.”

Balancing the team’s desire to attack with the wisdom to build pressure is an identity crisis that must be solved ahead of a critical fortnight.

Two unforced errors in the first half, both while attempting to rush in the redzone, allowed the Storm to surge back from a 10-0 deficit.

That swing was the launchpad from which Melbourne kicked into top gear to run the Titans out of the match.

Marzhew and Fogarty agreed that spirits in the Titans camp remained high with the biggest fortnight of the season on the horizon.

The equation to reach the top eight for the first time in five seasons is no less daunting for its simplicity.

Beat the Knights on the Sunshine Coast, then beat the Warriors at home, and the club should sneak into the eight.

It will be a brief finals expedition unless the club can find a common purpose under pressure unlike any the club has faced in the Holbrook era.

[willhelm]

Marzhew for captain

[Hail Sezer]

Relax guys Jamal had obviously seen something in the defensive line he liked and was just playing *football* and *backing himself* with that 3rd tackle kick

[Mr Bods]

The attack has never been the issue. It’s always the defence. Our defence is woeful. We scored 20 points. That should be enough for the game to at the very least go down to the wire.

[Hail Sezer]

The attack has never been the issue. It’s always the defence. Our defence is woeful. We scored 20 points. That should be enough for the game to at the very least go down to the wire.

You been watching other games this year Bods? Not the case in 2021 at all unfortunately

How we finish sets is important to how we start our defensive sets and control momentum/pressure as well. I think this is what Marzhew is referring to. Errors, low % plays, not building pressure and not completing all contribute.

[Mr Bods]

You been watching other games this year Bods? Not the case in 2021 at all unfortunately

How we finish sets is important to how we start our defensive sets and control momentum/pressure as well. I think this is what Marzhew is referring to. Errors, low % plays, not building pressure and not completing all contribute.

I used to watch heaps of games but these days I would only watch the Titans games each week and I’m lucky if I get another one in.

[Titanic]

Marzhew, and good on him, seems to have inadvertently let the cat out of the bag … he is probably quoting Holbrook’s review assessment while Fogarty is keeping to the party line … lol because those errors as HS has said led to pressure on the defense. If we played smarter instead of “cute” we would be more competitive.