Five questions needing answering in Mal Meninga’s Gold Coast Titans NRL mid-season review

WITH Mal Meninga’s mid-season review of Gold Coast’s NRL club set to be presented on Monday, the Bulletin looks at five key questions needing answers.

WITH Mal Meninga’s mid-season review of Gold Coast’s NRL club set to be presented on Monday, the Bulletin looks at five key questions needing answers.

Is Garth the man?

There have been endless reports suggesting this review might mark the end of Garth Brennan’s career as Titans coach.

First, will axing him solve anything? Pros and cons come with Brennan’s first 18 or so months in the job – he has lived up to his reputation as a development coach, guiding a number of young players to impressive breakthroughs.

Coach Garth Brennan looks on during Titans training. Picture: AAP Image

Sheer results are not so favourable, though: a 12-27 win-loss record represents a success rate of a tick over 30 per cent.

Second, is there actually a better option available?

We’re not leaning either way here – but Meninga will have to.

Is a change in structure required?

If there’s not a change in personnel, perhaps a different solution is to reassess the club’s structures to ensure coaches have the best possible support network and that all the quality people within their ranks are being employed in a way that maximises their ability.

There’s plenty for Mal Meninga to weigh up. Picture: Jerad Williams

How this looks, we’re not quite sure, to be totally honest.

What has gone wrong this season?

Where do you start? The club talked a big game all pre-season and rightly so: They had all the off-field pieces in place and a roster that at least on paper looked well and truly capable of playing finals footy.

Bryce Cartwright and Anthony Don are dejected after the Titans’ Round 14 loss to New Zealand at Cbus Super Stadium. Picture: AAP Image

What has transpired has been a series of on-field calamities to see the Titans’ season already done and dusted.

The first step to improving is identifying what mistakes have been made so that they are not repeated.

What has gone right this season?

The emergence of the likes of Jai Whitbread has been a definite bright spot but the biggest gain made by the club has been in setting up their future.

The Titans Elite Development Squad has been a major winner, as has the club’s increased presence in the Northern Rivers.

The TEDS program has been a winner.

As an industry source pointed out, the Titans are signing more kids from the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers than ever and they now have an outstanding pathway to bring out the best in talented youngsters.

How can roster management be handled better?

The Titans sadly have a long list of ill-fated big-dollar contracts.

Jarryd Hayne was one prime example.

Tyrone Peachey. Picture: Getty Images

In the current squad, Ash Taylor has obviously come under fire this year; Tyrone Peachey hasn’t quite worked out and there were serious question marks if he would even see out the first year of his deal; and while Leilani Latu isn’t on a comparable wage, he has barely threatened to play NRL.

For Gold Coast to be a regular contender, they need to be hitting the jackpot more often and striking out way less often.