2022 Season General Discussion Thread

[Menoitios]

In the last couple of months amid some disasterous results and speculation about Holbrook’s future, as a supporter since day 1, I have found myself disillusioned and questioning the future of this club. I used to fire up when others questioned whether we would still be around in 10 years and used to scoff at suggestions this year to get rid of Holbrook, but I must admit that after news broke about Holbrook last week (albeit Buzz Rothfield, so hardly a reliable source), I started thinking what we might look like with a different coach (Flanagan, Green?). But upon reflection, not sure that is the answer.

I can’t stand Gould, but agree with his point in the link Meniotios posted, we have no identity and that goes back to our early days. We have done some good work recently in the local juniors space, but that is not going to materialize immediately. What we need is a team of players who are desperate to play here and see success for this club. I think we have some of them already in Tino, AJ, Mo, Fermor and JC, but we need more.

We need to stop with the big money signings unless they are a critical player in our spine. The days of signing players like Hayne, Idris, Cartwright, Peachey, Shannon Boyd and to a lesser extent Fifita need to stop. I don’t think Fifita is just here for a paycheck, but he was never going to make the impact to match his contract.

We need to work out what it takes to be a TITAN. To me, it should be something tangible and represented by a previous player:-

Toughness (Preston Campbell)
Intelligence (Scott Prince)
Teamwork (Nathan Friend)
Attitude (Ryan James)
Non-stop (Luke Bailey)

If a player doesn’t embody these characteristics, then they are not for us. You look at current players like Wallace, Proctor, Herbert and Isaako. To me they all have errors in them (intelligence, attitude) and it doesn’t appear to matter to them (toughness, attitude, non-stop) like it does to Tino or AJ when we are losing or not playing well. Wallace weekly gives away dumb penalties and just grins about it.

There are no short cuts, but we need a roster clean out and some coaching staff changes. Defence is a priority and new defensive coach and recruitment manager are vital. Watching the PNG/FIJI test you saw how much it meant to them and I wish we had some of that attitude. Not saying this will turn the club around but think there is a real opportunity to build something with PNG. I would be signing Lachie Lam and Kyle Laybutt for next year. Lam could start with Foran and Laybutt depth. Jacob Alick, who is already in our squad should be pushing for bench role next year. You look at the way McKenzie Yei played in the test and tell me he couldn’t match what Lisone or Ese Ese give us each week off the bench.

Bring back David Mead in a mentor role and give 3-5 PNG players train and trial deals each year. We could definitely benefit from some more supporters /members and given Marcus Bai started his career here and David Mead’s current status in PNG, we could build our profile in PNG, who are Rugby League mad.

Finally, I would like to see some former players back in some roles with the club. In addition to Mead, what about Nathan Friend on the Strength & Conditioning team or Ryan James in some mentor / leadership role. Tino is one of my favourite players but I worry about the pressure of captaincy. 100% he should be club captain given he embodies this club, but we need an experienced voice of reason on the field as team captain. Slim pickings at the moment, but may have to be Foran for next couple of seasons.

This has to be one of the best posts I've read on this topic! Thank you for taking the time to type up a well thought out, sensible plan for moving forward.

I'm with you 100%! Bloody ripper of a post!!!

[RavShamrock]

Sorry old mate I normally agree a lot with your opinions but I couldn’t agree less on this one.

Sure clubs can wish for whatever they want and they can hit their quirky slogans above the home stadium door as they run onto the field. To me at the end of the day that all means didley-squat.

My belief is that the head coach installs the clubs identity and culture and ultimately the team performance.

Do we really think the Storm will be the same without Bellyache…I very much doubt it?

Take a look at the Wallabies for instance, they've been ratsh1t for decades so does this mean they've had no identity or culture over this period or is it just mirrored by the incumbent coach .
So all of a sudden Dave Rennie turns up and their superior culture and identity and team performance is coincidentally restored.

In the last couple of months amid some disasterous results and speculation about Holbrook’s future, as a supporter since day 1, I have found myself disillusioned and questioning the future of this club. I used to fire up when others questioned whether we would still be around in 10 years and used to scoff at suggestions this year to get rid of Holbrook, but I must admit that after news broke about Holbrook last week (albeit Buzz Rothfield, so hardly a reliable source), I started thinking what we might look like with a different coach (Flanagan, Green?). But upon reflection, not sure that is the answer.

I can’t stand Gould, but agree with his point in the link Meniotios posted, we have no identity and that goes back to our early days. We have done some good work recently in the local juniors space, but that is not going to materialize immediately. What we need is a team of players who are desperate to play here and see success for this club. I think we have some of them already in Tino, AJ, Mo, Fermor and JC, but we need more.

We need to stop with the big money signings unless they are a critical player in our spine. The days of signing players like Hayne, Idris, Cartwright, Peachey, Shannon Boyd and to a lesser extent Fifita need to stop. I don’t think Fifita is just here for a paycheck, but he was never going to make the impact to match his contract.

We need to work out what it takes to be a TITAN. To me, it should be something tangible and represented by a previous player:-

Toughness (Preston Campbell)
Intelligence (Scott Prince)
Teamwork (Nathan Friend)
Attitude (Ryan James)
Non-stop (Luke Bailey)

If a player doesn’t embody these characteristics, then they are not for us. You look at current players like Wallace, Proctor, Herbert and Isaako. To me they all have errors in them (intelligence, attitude) and it doesn’t appear to matter to them (toughness, attitude, non-stop) like it does to Tino or AJ when we are losing or not playing well. Wallace weekly gives away dumb penalties and just grins about it.

There are no short cuts, but we need a roster clean out and some coaching staff changes. Defence is a priority and new defensive coach and recruitment manager are vital. Watching the PNG/FIJI test you saw how much it meant to them and I wish we had some of that attitude. Not saying this will turn the club around but think there is a real opportunity to build something with PNG. I would be signing Lachie Lam and Kyle Laybutt for next year. Lam could start with Foran and Laybutt depth. Jacob Alick, who is already in our squad should be pushing for bench role next year. You look at the way McKenzie Yei played in the test and tell me he couldn’t match what Lisone or Ese Ese give us each week off the bench.

Bring back David Mead in a mentor role and give 3-5 PNG players train and trial deals each year. We could definitely benefit from some more supporters /members and given Marcus Bai started his career here and David Mead’s current status in PNG, we could build our profile in PNG, who are Rugby League mad.

Finally, I would like to see some former players back in some roles with the club. In addition to Mead, what about Nathan Friend on the Strength & Conditioning team or Ryan James in some mentor / leadership role. Tino is one of my favourite players but I worry about the pressure of captaincy. 100% he should be club captain given he embodies this club, but we need an experienced voice of reason on the field as team captain. Slim pickings at the moment, but may have to be Foran for next couple of seasons.

[Whats Doing]

Anybody watching the Sharks Storm game should notice the power, effort, intensity and desire of the Sharks.

If only Holbrook could instil these qualities to our team and maybe we would not be in the dire position we are currently in.

This is all about character and culture which the Titans don’t have and can mean the difference between winning and losing

[Titanic]

We had that culture and power at the beginning of this season … that’s the mystifying bit … my take is that somewhere early on amongst those close losses internal rules were bent or broken and the leadership lost some of the players trust and it’s snowballed since then.

[RavShamrock]

T I’ve thought about this a lot and have come to the conclusion we were/are all wearing rose coloured glasses.
As other guys I here allude to last year was a smoke screen with the negative win/loss % and Covid had a massive impact on the competition and probably made the colour of our glasses a very dark rose.
I was hoping the entire club could see clearly now.

[Titanic]

Yeah Ravs I understand your view but I’m sticking with mine because last year the sniff they got, although getting there was largely luck, nearly beating Easts showed that with the extra effort they can compete. What wasn’t factored in was how to do it week in week out. I though Holbrook could get them to maintain the rage but for all the reasons discussed he just can’t seem to lift them or himself.

[RavShamrock]

Hurricane has unfortunately reached his ceiling.

[Bayside Titan]

Hurricane has unfortunately reached his ceiling.

I still think he has a lot to offer mate. I feel we need to tweak the recruitment side and the defence. I think a guy like Ryan Hoffman or Christian Welch ( when he retires ) would be good gets for recruitment or even move Jimmy L into recruitment as I feel he would have a good handle on the Up and coming player and current NRL players.

As far a defensive coach outside of the box I would see if we can pry Cory Parker out of the Broncos, John Morris or Josh Hannay.

[coreythompson]

Did anyone see Mitch Rein's kicks from dummy half I been watching NSW cup

[DIEHARD]

I don't think our efforts of culture can involve part time and volunteer staff. That is part of it but it shouldn't be there core.

[Titslover]

Dymock sacked, finally a bit of common sense.
https://twitter.com/travismeyn/statu...ypTV_uvQik3ntw

[Croc]

Good.. I think our defense has been horrible.. we need changes

[5 Year Contract]

Dymock sacked, finally a bit of common sense.
https://twitter.com/travismeyn/statu...ypTV_uvQik3ntw

Good riddance

[Whats Doing]

CM Article

NRL 2022: Second coaching domino falls at Titans with Jim Dymock leaving club

The clean out continues at the Titans with a second member of the coaching staff leaving immediately after being told his contract would not be renewed.

The second domino at the Gold Coast Titans has fallen with coach Justin Holbrook’s right-hand man Jim Dymock departing the battling club.

News Corp understands Dymock has left the Gold Coast immediately after being told his contract would not be renewed beyond this season as pressure intensifies on Holbrook to turn around the 15th-placed Titans.

Dymock, 50, has been Holbrook’s chief assistant since he took over the head coaching reins at the Titans ahead of the 2020 NRL season.

A hard-hitting forward during his playing days which saw him become a Kangaroos and NSW Origin representative, Dymock was tasked with overseeing the Gold Coast’s defence.

But with the Titans sitting second-last on the NRL ladder after 17 rounds, and boasting the second worst defence (conceded 418 points) in the competition, Dymock has been axed.

Dymock, who is expected to return to Sydney, has been Holbrook’s senior assistant coach, with Intrust Super Cup premiership-winner Jim Lenihan and former Titans halfback Brad Davis also on his support staff.

The Titans last month severed ties with performance chief Klint Hoare after deciding the team’s fitness was not up to scratch.

Now Holbrook has lost another key member of his coaching staff, intensifying speculation he is fighting for his job at Parkwood.

While Holbrook has enjoyed strong support from influential figures at the Titans, club hierarchy is not pleased with the Gold Coast’s plight following a drought-breaking finals appearance last year.

The Titans have only won three games this season and are equal last with the dreadful Wests Tigers, only a superior points differential (-172 v -196) keeping them off the bottom of the ladder.

After an embarrassing 38-12 loss to Newcastle in round 16, speculation surfaced that Holbrook was on the verge of being sacked.

He has so far survived and is set to lead the Titans into Saturday night’s Queensland derby clash against the resurgent Brisbane Broncos at Cbus Super Stadium.

A poor performance against the Broncos at home will only brighten the spotlight on Holbrook’s future.

[The Birdman]

In other words the Titans hierarchy not so subtly hint to Holbrook that perhaps he should change something up at some point this season. Maybe our record of 3-13 isn't bad enough to make the slow learner realise pick and stick might not be the best tact. Got the hint yet Justin?