Nathan Peats challenges Titans to ignore coaching speculation and turn season around against Penrith
Nathan Peats is famous for his ruthless on-field chat and the hooker has delivered a similar tongue-lashing as speculation on Garth Brennan’s future increases.
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Gold Coast hooker Nathan Peats says speculation around Garth Brennan’s future shouldn’t be a distraction for players and won’t excuse a poor result in Friday night’s clash with Penrith.
The Titans were tipped to recover from their horror start to the year after pressure-relieving wins over Manly and Brisbane but Brennan’s critics re-emerged following successive losses at home last month.
Their Round 15 capitulation to the Sea Eagles followed a disappointing four-point loss to NZ Warriors and Brennan’s future at Robina will be put under the microscope when club performance-and-culture chief Mal Meninga delivers his operations review next week.
The Courier-Mail understands Brennan is unlikely to survive beyond this season with Maroons coach Kevin Walters widely tipped to be eyeing the Titans top job for 2020.
However Peats says there’s no point worrying about possible coaching changes and media commentary when players should be focused on results.
“You’ve got to worry about your own self and your playing group,” Peats said.
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“Whether Garth’s here next year or not or wherever the situation is you can’t really let that affect you as a player.
“We get paid good money to do what we do and whether he is or isn’t the coach whatever the situation is, you can’t read into it too much.
“You’ve got to worry about yourself because if you get caught up on off-field stuff like that, your performances start dipping.”
The former NSW rake remains confident in Brennan’s ability to coach the side and put the onus on his fellow Titans to prove themselves and their mental toughness in the back half of the season.
“No, I don’t think so,” Peats said when asked if a coaching change was needed.
“It is what it is and we’re playing footy that is winnable but you can’t coach attitude and at the moment it’s been a little about that.
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“The players have probably got to take a little bit more responsibility and a stance on their own performances.”
Peats rates himself among those who need to lift despite having played just three games since returning from injury and says he owes a strong finish to Gold Coast supporters.
“I’m growing in confidence every week and we’ve got nine games to go, so I want to be a part of those nine games and try and get as many minutes as I can for the members and the fans that have been toughing it out this year,” he said.
Originally published as Nathan Peats challenges Titans to ignore coaching speculation and turn season around against Penrith
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