Shane Flanagan declares Titans ‘can’t make the semis’ after Cowboys capitulation

It may only be just past the halfway mark of the season but a premiership winning coach is drawing a line through one of the teams.

The Titans are struggling. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Premiership winning coach Shane Flanagan has declared the Gold Coast Titans finals hopes are over after a horrible 32-6 thrashing at the hands of the high flying North Queensland Cowboys.

The Titans were missing captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui to Origin duty and David Fifita through injury as the side struggled to make an impact.

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On the other hand, the Cowboys had Valentine Holmes, Reuben Cotter, Jeremiah Nanai, Tom Dearden, Murray Taulagi and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow all selected for the Maroons, although Taulagi and Tabuai-Fidow were allowed to play against the Gold Coast.

But with four of the side’s biggest names out, the Cowboys did not miss a trick, responding to an early try Titans try, running in six unanswered tries to blow the Titans away on the Gold Coast.

While it’s been a lean trot for the Queensland teams, the result entrenches the Cowboys in the top four alongside the Broncos.

The Cowboys are riding high. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images

For the Titans, it’s a dire situation after just three wins from 13 games and the season is slipping away.

Although there are still 11 matches for the Titans to turn it around, plenty will have to change.

After going down 16-6 at halftime, premiership winning coach Shane Flanagan essentially drew a line through the Gold Coast for 2022.

“They have to come out with some real attitude, a bit of an attitude change,” Flanagan said at halftime. “There wasn’t much aggression in that first half, they didn’t run hard enough, they never respected the football. If the Titans can’t win this second half and win this football game, they can’t make the semis. It is over.”

Forty minutes later, the Titans had been blown off the park once again.

It has been a frustrating season for the Titans after a strong but unlucky start but it’s all started to unravel for Justin Holbrook’s men in recent weeks.

Captain AJ Brimson said it wasn’t just not coming together at the moment, shown by two eight minute periods where the Cowboys scored three quick tries.

“We’re definitely not throwing it in, we’re behind the line saying all the right things,” he said. “It’s not like we’re not trying to defend it (the try line), we’re just not getting it done at the moment. It’s happening in patches, it’s quite consistent at the moment. It is pretty mental.

“I think we’ve shown we can hold it with teams which we do for long periods of time and then there's 10-15 minute windows where we look like we haven’t played together before. We’ve just got to keep at it but at the moment it’s just not good enough.”

it’s just not coming off for the Titans at the moment. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Social media was perplexed as a team many tipped to take a jump this season after making the finals in 2021 has fallen so far away.

Fox Sports’ Matt Russell tweeted: “And so finishes the ‘Polar Opposites Cup’. Surprise improver beats biggest disappointment.”

Nine News Queensland’s Luke Bradnam wrote: “The cowboy’s forwards are running hard and straight but the Titans big forwards all seem to think they’re ball playing 5/8’s.”

Nine News’ Michael Atkinson opined: “How do you solve a problem like the Titans?! Holbrook came to GC as a “very good” coach with excellent references, a long apprenticeship and success in Super League. This can’t be the coach’s fault.”

The Illawarra Mercury’s sports editor Tim Barrow added: “Sport on the Gold Coast continues to be a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a myth wrapped in a strip club forever more.”

Originally published as Shane Flanagan declares Titans ‘can’t make the semis’ after Cowboys capitulation