NRL 2023: Gold Coast Titans coach Justin Holbrook denies he’s under pressure despite string of losses

The Gold Coast Titans are in a form slump and have developed a reputation for choking, but coach Justin Holbrook insists he’s not under pressure to keep his job.

Titans coach Justin Holbrook needs to turn around his team’s defence. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Gold Coast Titans coach Justin Holbrook has rejected suggestions he is under mounting pressure to keep his job.

The Titans will head into Thursday night’s clash with Wests Tigers at Cbus Super Stadium desperately needing a win to keep their season alive.

After an encouraging 3-2 start to the year, the Titans have crashed back down the ladder and become the NRL’s worst defensive team after 14 rounds.

They have lost their past three matches to the Knights, Bulldogs and Rabbitohs while developing a reputation for blowing leads, none worse than the 26-0 they surrendered to the Dolphins.

The Titans have led at halftime in eight matches this season, but only won three of those. They have also blown four double-digit leads.

The defensive fragility of the Titans has been the biggest concern during Holbrook’s four seasons at the club – which sees him boast a 37 per cent winning record (30 wins, 51 losses).

Titans coach Justin Holbrook needs to turn around his team’s defence. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Over the past three seasons no team has lost more games when scoring 24 or more points than the 14 matches the Titans have surrendered, more than double the next team (Bulldogs, six).

The Titans have had little trouble scoring points this year, averaging 23.8 per game, but they are conceding an NRL-high 27.9, which is costing them wins.

Holbrook is facing the prospect of back-to-back bottom four finishes if he can’t get the Titans firing, but said he wasn’t feeling pressure due to the club’s injury toll.

“No, I thought you’d come here today to ask those questions,” he said when asked about pressure from Titans bosses.

“Judge us on if we’ve got all the main boys playing and we’re not firing, then absolutely we’ve got some answering.

“But we’ve just got to work hard and get the job done, then I don’t have to worry about it.

“It’s completely different (to last season), mate. Last year we weren’t playing well and didn’t have any changes of personnel.

“This year we haven’t had Sam Verrills since round one, ‘Foz’ (Kieran Foran) has missed a bit, AJ (Brimson) has missed a heap. They’re three members of our spine.

“We’ve been in games we can win. Last year we weren’t in games.

“There’s plenty of upside, we’ve just got to get it right for 80 minutes. No one is going to give us a pass mark over 40 minutes, it just makes it seem worse when you don’t win.”

Holbrook in happier times. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Brimson will return from a hamstring injury at fullback, but Maroons backrower David Fifita has been rested due to lingering concussion symptoms following a head knock in Origin I, although he was in no doubt of missing Game Two at Suncorp Stadium on June 21.

In the meantime, Holbrook said he wanted his team to respond against the improving Tigers.

“I don’t want to be here answering the questions post-game if that (loss) happens,” he said.

“It’s a big game for us, absolutely, I’m not going to shy away from that.

“The pressure’s off them (Tigers) now. They had a lot of pressure early to win games, then everyone went away from them and that ignited them.

“They’re playing freely and confidently. They’re a completely different footy side to four weeks ago.

“We’ve just got to get it done. We all know it’s (defence) an issue, we’re sitting second at halftime in the competition in defence but at full-time we’re last by a mile.

“We’ve got to get it done, otherwise the stigma’s going to be there.

“I’m confident we can fix up our issues.”