'Ridiculous' question over Titans' finals hopes

3 years ago 376

Gold Coast's 44-0 thrashing of the Warriors was the cleanable tune-up for finals football, but questions stay implicit the side's defence, according to Queensland large Sam Thaiday.

The Titans person conceded 583 points this year, the astir of immoderate broadside successful the apical eight, and worse than the Sharks and Raiders, who finished ninth and 10th.

It's much than treble the fig of points conceded by the competition's champion antiaircraft side, Penrith.

Speaking connected the latest variation of the Wide World of Sports amusement QLDER, Thaiday was asked if the Titans' defence was up to the task.

"It needs to be," helium replied.

"We each cognize the Titans tin attack, but we've seen them sprout themselves successful the ft truthful galore times this season.

"The played South Sydney (in Round 7), they were up by 20 points astatine halftime and ended up losing the crippled 40-30.

"Absolutely ridiculous."

The Titans conceded 70 points crossed Rounds 22 and 23, giving up 36 points against Souths and 34 against Melbourne.

But their fortunes improved successful circular 24, with a 15-14 nonaccomplishment to Newcastle, before their last circular mauling of the Warriors.

"I thought they were truly bully against Newcastle, they held their ain and that was the benignant of finals footy, the adjacent lucifer that they'll request to effort and win," Thaiday explained.

"I deliberation their defence, keeping the Warriors to nil, shows that they person improved implicit the past mates of weeks.

"They conscionable request to amended 1 much measurement and who knows? They mightiness alert done the finals similar the Cowboys did successful 2017."

Immortal Wally Lewis said Titans manager Justin Holbrook would person been happier with the information the Warriors were kept scoreless, than with the 44 points scored by the Titans.

"Everyone volition beryllium feeling beauteous bully astir the mode they attacked," Lewis noted.

"But for me, and the coach, helium would person been implicit the satellite with their defence.

"That was peculiarly impressive, and erstwhile you're truthful adjacent to the finals, you request to cognize that your defence is successful order."

But Lewis warned that this Saturday's sudden-death lucifer against the Roosters volition beryllium a measurement up successful strength from the Warriors.

"The manager would person been thinking, we cognize we're successful for a pugnacious conflict adjacent week, and we cognize it's going to beryllium a batch amended hostile that we're up against, but I deliberation the boys volition beryllium feeling rather comfy with their performance.

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