Struggling Titans halfback Ash Taylor can learn from Daly Cherry-Evans’ resurgence this season

TITANS teammates believe Ash Taylor is feeling the burden of Gold Coast’s finals fadeout as the under-fire halfback braces for a daunting clash with Maroons rival Daly Cherry-Evans.

Ash Taylor will face off with Daly Cherry-Evans on Friday night. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

TITANS teammates believe Ash Taylor is feeling the burden of Gold Coast’s finals fadeout as the under-fire halfback braces for a daunting clash with Maroons rival Daly Cherry-Evans.

Cherry-Evans’ scrumbase duel with Taylor will be a key narrative of a Manly-Titans showdown at Brookvale on Friday night that will have a large bearing on which club avoids the dreaded wooden spoon.

In pre-season Titans coach Garth Brennan challenged Taylor, the club’s $3 million man, to be the senior playmaker who steps up on a regular basis to catapult the Coast to the playoffs.

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Ash Taylor will face off with Daly Cherry-Evans on Friday night. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

Instead, Taylor has struggled to reprise the classy touches he showed in 2016, when he was named the NRL’s rookie of the year ahead of Nathan Cleary, the Penrith phenom who outpointed him last week.

While Cleary has ascended to the State of Origin arena this season and steered Penrith to another finals campaign, Taylor is at the nerve centre of a Titans team floundering in 13th place.

Kiwi back-rower Kevin Proctor plays outside Taylor on the Titans’ right edge and admits the 23-year-old can learn valuable lessons from Cherry-Evans’ fightback in ending a three-year Origin exile this season.

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“If Ash has any aspirations of getting in that Queensland jersey he should watch Cherry-Evans in that last game (Origin III),” Proctor said.

“He (Cherry-Evans) played really well in that last Origin by putting pressure on the opposition with repeat sets and his kicking game was good.

“He really directed the Queensland side around the park and led the way.

“Hopefully we get a big enough lead this week so that Cherry-Evans can’t close out the game.”

The Manly skipper has become one of the NRL’s great clutch exponents.

Titans teammate Kevin Proctor says Taylor can learn from Cherry-Evans. (AAP Image/Craig Golding)

A fortnight ago, Cherry-Evans snapped the extra-time field goal to break Cronulla’s hearts in a 33-32 boilover on Sharks soil.

Statistics underline Taylor’s inconsistency this season.

While he has produced an impressive 21 try assists, Taylor’s error-count of 45 is the worst of any starting halfback in the NRL.

Taylor’s recent halves partner AJ Brimson, who was shifted to fullback last week and will remain there against the Sea Eagles, admits the Coast’s struggles haven’t helped him.

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“There has been a lot of pressure on him with how our team’s been going,” Brimson said.

“He is feeling a bit of weight there.

“With our halves chopping and changing it’s not going to be easy.

“He has definitely been playing better the last few weeks. The more pressure (Kane) Elgey (five-eighth) and I can take off him will allow him to relax a bit more.

“I wouldn’t say he is out of his groove – he is still playing well.

“His form has been a little bit patchy. Ash is a dangerous ball runner and I don’t think he backs himself enough when he’s got the ball in his hands.

“I’ve been into him to run it this week.”