Gold Coast Titans slump to 30-12 defeat to Manly

The pressure on Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan might just be untenable after the sorry Titans all but gave in against Manly for their 11th defeat of the season.

Nathan Peats‘ face says it all. Image: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

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The Titans’ finals hopes are officially gone — and, pretty soon, their coach Garth Brennan could be gone as well.

Brennan has been plunged into a desperate fight to save his job after the Gold Coast bowed out of the playoffs race in June with another dismal display, this time a 30-12 capitulation to Manly at Cbus Super Stadium.

The Titans were a mathematical chance of making the top eight before this game.

Now not even Albert Einstein can save them.

No amount of creative accounting or number crunching can distort the brutal reality that the 15th-placed Titans are a mess.

Manly celebrate after Jorge Taufua‘s try. Image: Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

They have conceded 917 points in the past two seasons under Brennan. They have missed the finals eight times in nine seasons. Their $1 million halfback Ash Taylor is sidelined with personal problems and their midfield defence is so insipid it leaves them in danger of the wooden spoon.

Hardy Titans fans deserve better than the Manly mauling they witnessed here.

With culture-and-performance chief Mal Meninga set to deliver his wide-ranging review to the Titans board in the coming weeks, the buck will surely stop with the coach presiding over the Coast’s latest failed season.

Brennan is contracted for another 12 months but there is no guarantee he will be at the starting blocks in 2020 after suffering his 27th defeat from 39 games.

Nathan Peats‘ face says it all. Image: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

“There weren’t a lot of positives, it was our poorest performance of the season,” the coach said.

“They had a bit more desire which I can’t put my finger on.”

The five-tries-to-two drubbing at Robina was the Titans’ 11th loss from 15 games this season, with Brennan left to lament another instalment of defensive apathy which saw the Sea Eagles charge to a 20-2 half-time lead.

Speedy winger Phillip Sami tried to lift the hosts with two second-half tries in the 56th and 67th minutes, but by then, Manly had clocked off.

“It was like boys versus men, they just rolled through the ruck and we couldn’t control it,” Brennan said.

“We have been in the fight every game, but we just weren’t in this.

“I can’t remember the last time we put in a performance like that. We have to grow up a bit.”

With the Titans needing victory to keep their slim finals hopes alive, skipper Tyrone Roberts opened the scoring with a fifth-minute penalty goal in his 150th game, but it wasn’t long before the Coast were under siege.

The Titans have had two particular problem areas this season: their midfield and tryline defence. The Sea Eagles quickly exploited both, posting four tries in a first-half blitz as back-rower Curtis Sironen ran riot in his 100th NRL game.

Curtis Sironen enjoyed this one. Image: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Sironen’s two tries inside the opening 26 minutes underscored the Coast’s red-zone frailty. He needed just eight minutes to barge over from close range and when he produced a carbon-copy charge 18 minutes later, steamrollering Roberts, the Titans were in trouble at 10-2.

Titans centre Brian Kelly was one shining light, making 176 metres and six tackle busts, but every loss is another nail in the coffin for Brennan, who says he has no idea when key playmaker Taylor will be cleared for selection.

“I’d love him back in the team,” he said.

“I want him back in the team but I won’t rush him back until his mental welfare is OK and the specialist clears him.”

Full-time MANLY 30 (C Sironen 2 R Garrick M Suli J Taufua tries R Garrick 5 goals) bt GOLD COAST 12 (P Sami 2 tries T Roberts 2 goals) at Cbus Super Stadium. Referee: Chris Sutton, Phil Henderson.