Jai Arrow shows his Origin potential for the Titans, but Bryce Cartwright doesn’t cut it at five-eighth

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED: The Titans lock should the Maroons’ plan B but Bryce Cartwright doesn’t cut it at five-eighth. Here’s what else we took from the Titans’ loss.

Jai Arrow looks the business for the Titans. (Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

1. JAI Arrow is the man to replace Josh McGuire in the Queensland No. 13 jumper. The Titans lock was outstanding, amassing a game-high 155 metres, three tackle busts, two offloads and one line break in another ironman display. If McGuire is ruled out of Origin I with torn ankle ligaments, Arrow has to be the Maroons’ Plan B.

BATTLE: Sharks down Titans with power of one

Jai Arrow looks the business for the Titans. (Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

2. FIVE-eighth is not the position for Bryce Cartwright. The big-name recruit answered an SOS following the demotion of Kane Elgey but Cartwright doesn’t look comfortable in the halves. He threw a forward pass and one crosskick went backwards. A ball-playing role on the edges best suits him.

3. THE Titans need to play smarter in the red-zone. Their only try was a barge-over by Mitch Rein. In one attacking set, halfback Ashley Taylor — their main man — didn’t touch the ball. In another, Jarrod Wallace dropped the Steeden cold. It’s cruelling them.

The Titans couldn’t get Ashley Taylor involved. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

4. TITANS hooker Mitch Rein is doing a respectable job in the absence of injured Origin rake Nathan Peats. Rein scored the Titans’ only try to ignite their fightback and tackled with gusto in a committed display.

5. VALENTINE Holmes won’t give up his Origin jumper without a fight. Broncos rival Corey Oates is in red-hot form but the Sharks Test winger hit back. Holmes scored Cronulla’s opening try and made some dangerous runs to throw down the challenge to Oates.

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Originally published as Jai Arrow shows his Origin potential for the Titans, but Bryce Cartwright doesn’t cut it at five-eighth