Titans coach Garth Brennan sacked after horror season on the Gold Coast
The Titans have sacked coach Garth Brennan following a horror 21 months in charge of the Gold Coast-based NRL club.
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The Titans have sacked coach Garth Brennan.
Brennan was told of his sacking on Saturday, two days before the Titans board was due to see Mal Meninga’s internal review into the club.
Friday night’s 24-2 defeat to Penrith was the final straw, with Meninga and assistants Luke Burt and Craig Hodges to look after the side for the rest of the season.
Brennan is believed to be unhappy, particularly given he hasn’t been interviewed by Meninga as part of his midseason review, the findings of which he was to deliver to the Titans board for the first time on Monday.
Brennan had been in the job for just 21 months.
“No one at this organisation, or anyone involved in rugby league, wanted Garth’s time as Head Coach of the Titans to end this way,” Titans Executive Chairman Dennis Watt said.
“However, the results the club has achieved on the field this season have not met expectations, and the team’s performance in recent weeks has fallen to a level that is unacceptable to the board, our members, fans, sponsors and partners.
“Unfortunately, that has left the club in a situation where Garth remaining in the position of head coach has become untenable.”
“While the on-field results have not been what we hoped for, Garth will still leave a tremendous legacy for this club with his contribution to the creation of our development systems and pathways,” Watt said.
“These will ensure the Titans’ future will be built around the best young players growing up on the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales.
“Along the way, Garth has handed NRL debuts to players like AJ Brimson, Moeaki Fotuaika and Jai Whitbread — players who will be at the core of this club for the years ahead.
“Garth, his wife Rachael and their family have made real sacrifices in moving to the Coast, and Garth has dedicated himself to connecting with Titans Members, fans, local leagues and the wider community.
The seven-director board instructed Meninga to start his review seven weeks ago, going public with their view “that on-field performances from the Titans over the first 10 rounds of the NRL premiership have not met the club’s standards for success”.
The Titans have won just two from six matches since then and are last on the NRL ladder after slumping to a 24-2 loss to Penrith on Friday night.
Brennan's 25 per cent winning strike-rate is equal to that of former coach John Cartwright's wooden spoon season in 2011 and the TAB have installed the Titans as favourites at $1.75 for most losses this season.
The Titans home crowd 2019 season average of 10,362 at CBus Super Stadium is also currently the lowest attendance numbers in the club's history.
Originally published as Titans coach Garth Brennan sacked after horror season on the Gold Coast
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