The Gold Coast Titans hierarchy are in a bit of a pickle at the moment. Their side lacks an identity, there’s no real desire or grit in their style of play, and truthfully, they’re just dog shit on both sides of the ball. On top of that, they’ve got a coach who can’t get the best out of their million-dollar player. They’re going to have to back one of them for good — and in my opinion, I’d be taking David Fifita every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Just get a halfback and a hooker who know how to use their forwards.
David Fifita has had a stop-start season so far. The damaging forward had a disrupted pre-season after undergoing ankle surgery. There were whispers he’d miss the start of the season, then he was named to start in a trial. Yet a few weeks later, he was named on the bench and played just 30 minutes in Round 2 against the Bulldogs — raising plenty of eyebrows. Not to mention, they got flogged. How about getting your best player on the field, Des?
After weeks of coming off the bench, he was finally promoted to the starting side against the Dragons — and guess what? He was their best player by a country mile. He had a try assist and a hand in another with a barnstorming run off a regained kick-off, ran for over 200 metres, and racked up 10 tackle busts. While they were comfortably beaten, Fifita did all he could, and I think most people assumed Des’ experiment with him was over and whatever he was trying to achieve was accomplished.
But no. Fifita then missed a week with injury, only to be placed back on the bench in a game where they were smoked by the Cowboys — and now, he’s been dropped entirely from the side.
Des Hasler is fair dinkum kidding himself. Some of the players in this side don’t deserve a McDonald’s Happy Meal after the game, let alone a six-figure contract and a continuous spot in the line-up. People are often critical of Fifita’s supposed lack of involvement, but is anyone actually watching the Titans games this year? Hit-ups one off the ruck are the only runs he’s getting because the spine couldn’t organise a meat raffle down at the local. The Titans’ overall football IQ is one of the worst you’ll ever see. They’re an entertaining side to watch, but the reason they’re never consistent or competitive in this competition is that they’re a really dumb football team.
They say Father Time catches up with everyone, and I think he has with Des Hasler too. The once-great coach has shown he’s losing his touch with a string of poor decisions. He consistently plays Beau Fermor at centre when an outside back isn’t available — yet Fermor is a fraction as valuable there compared to his impact in the back row. Playing Chris Randall on an edge over David Fifita should be punishable with jail time, in my opinion.
On top of that, Hasler has decided to stack the squad with young fullbacks and five-eighths, and then wonders why they can’t organise a decent attacking set or bring out the best in the talent around them.
The Titans need to make a call, one way or another. If Hasler can’t coach David Fifita, move him on and free up the salary cap space. But I’d be getting a coach who can get the best out of this squad — because clearly, Hasler can’t.
