Gold Coast Titans CEO Steve Mitchell says record win over Warriors just reward for fans
The fans, players and Gold Coast Titans CEO are all keeping the faith for an unlikely run to the NRL finals. Here is why
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For Gold Coast Titans fans, players and club CEO Steve Mitchell the 2024 finals dream is still alive - just - after a walloping of the Warriors that saw records tumble.
The Titans 66-6 win over the Kiwis at CBUS Super Stadium in front of 22,702 spectators on Saturday was the highest score by the Titans ever, eclipsing its previous game-high record 44.
The Titans previous game record was 44-0 in 2021 - also against the Warriors.
Titans winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira dotted down four times to become the NRL’s highest try scorer this season, and playmaker Jayden Campbell scored the most points in a single game by a Titan with 26 from a try and 11 goal kicks from 11 attempts.
In the 11-try to one blitz, sensational fullback Keano Kini scored two with one each for Campbell, Beau Fermor, Keenan Palasia, Chris Randall and Sam Verrills. Captain Kieran Foran had four try assists.
Mitchell said the record-breaking win at home was just reward for a loyal fan base that had stuck with the club through testing times.
“It was fantastic, I’m really excited for the fan base and the members, they’ve been with the club, a lot of them for over 10 years,” he said.
“There’s no doubt we’re going through a transition and we’re on a promise to deliver success to the Coast, we’ve never done that and the Coast has never received that.
“It takes hard work and they hang in and hang in and hang in, for them to be rewarded with an event like today makes me so proud.”
While remaining pragmatic, Mitchell refused to rule the NRL finals out of the equation for the Titans this season.
It will take a special run home, but it’s far from impossible despite sitting 14th on the ladder with a 4-10 record. The Gold Coast, with byes in hand, are only three wins off the top eight.
“I think we need to concentrate on every week and we need to compete every week, if we do that we’ll get there,” Mitchell said.
“But we need to roll into each game with a mindset that we are winning that game, which the boys obviously did (on Saturday).”
The path the Titans have trodden this season has had its fair share of bumps, but Mitchell noted the lack of smooth travelling was all part of the development process.
“I think there was a patch there, probably six or seven rounds, where we were probably playing in the top four in regard to how we were on the field - but I don’t think progression is linear,” he said.
“You go up and then you drop back, we went through that and then we fell off the pace, but to jump back on like they did today, and with players playing out of position again, just the mindset and the way they out-enthused the other side I thought it was exceptional.”
Records tumbled in the emphatic Titans win on Saturday.
The win was underpinned by the ability of the forwards to succeed, despite Josiah Pahulu going down with a suspected ankle injury 15 minutes into the first half.
Kini’s display at fullback was a career-best, while Foran also looked back to his best, producing his four try-assists.
It was their best performance under new premiership winning coach Des Hasler who replaced Justin Holbrook.
Foran and Hasler has previously teamed up successfully at Manly for a premiership in 2011.
Hasler joked about his star playmaker after Saturday’s win: “Well if you rub a fossil long and hard enough you get a diamond.”
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Originally published as Gold Coast Titans CEO Steve Mitchell says record win over Warriors just reward for fans
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