Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook says he’s not feeling any pressure from the club hierarchy despite the Titans’ habit of blowing match-winning leads.
The Titans host Wests Tigers at CBUS Super Stadium on Thursday night in 13th position on 14 points after losing their last two games from strong positions.
They led 14-0 at half-time against Canterbury before losing 20-18. Against South Sydney last week they led 12-0 inside 10 minutes and 22-16 at half-time, before losing 46-28.
It wasn’t isolated incidents.
The collapse against the Rabbitohs was the fourth double-digit lead they had given up in 2023 and the fifth time out of eight occasions this year they had lost after leading at half-time.
Holbrook was asked at his media conference on Wednesday whether there was “any pressure from above”.
“No. I thought you (the media) would come here today and ask those questions,” he said.
“Judge us on if we’ve got all the main boys firing and not playing well , then absolutely I’ve got some answering (to do). We’ve just got to work hard and get the job done and then I don’t have to worry about it.”
Holbrook said injuries for extended periods to key players Kieran Foran, Sam Verrills and AJ Brimson throughout the year had hurt the team.
“They are three members of our spine and we have been in games we can win. Last year we weren’t in games,” he said.
“There is plenty of upside. We’ve just got to get it for 80 minutes.
“We have been in winning positions and come unstuck so we have got to get past that.
“We all know it has been an issue. We’ve got to get it done otherwise the stigma is going to be there.”
Holbrook will welcome back fullback Brimson after he missed five weeks with a hamstring tear.
“To have AJ back is as important to us as Turbo (Tom Trbojevic) is to Manly or (James) Tedesco is to the Roosters,” Holbrook said.
“He is that good. He is fit, firing and a boost for our team.”
Wests Tigers are in 16th position on 10 points and if the Titans are to play finals footy it is a game they must win.
Holbrook said second-rower David Fifita would be fit for State of Origin despite missing Thursday night’s clash
Fifita passed an HIA in Queensland’s 26-18 win in the Origin series opener in Adelaide.
He backed up against the Rabbitohs off the bench.
“He finished the game with some headaches and pulled up for a couple of days with headaches so we thought there was no point trying to get him to back up with a short turnaround,” Holbrook said
“He will be fine for Origin (in Brisbane on June 21) but … we’ve got to take precautions in those (concussion) areas.”
