What’s Next?: Gold Coast Titans Criticised Following Disastrous Loss as Futures of Two Stars Hang in the Balance

The Gold Coast Titans’ disastrous defeat to the Broncos in their opening trial match has sparked concern within the club, particularly regarding the future of AJ Brimson and Jayden Campbell.

Despite fielding a considerable number of their key players, the Titans suffered a heavy 50-12 loss to their Queensland counterparts on Sunday afternoon.

Brisbane showcased a surprisingly strong performance under new coach Michael Maguire, despite using only a select few regular first-graders.

Unfortunately, Des Hasler’s squad didn’t perform nearly as well, failing to tackle effectively and being dominated in an alarming manner as the season commencement approaches.

In discussions on SEN Radio, Corey Parker expressed his concern about how the Titans can recover from such a lopsided defeat, especially given they entered the game with a “stacked” roster.

“If you’re on the receiving end of 50 points, where do you go from there? You’ve spent all summer preparing for this,” lamented the former Broncos player.

“From the Titans’ viewpoint, they had a fairly formidable lineup, missing only four out of their top 17 players. It was a strong team, yet they conceded 50 points.”

Greg Alexander was swift to condemn the Titans after their underwhelming performance.

“They had ten first-graders, yet they rotated them throughout the match. Des might use that as an excuse,” he remarked.

“How must Des Hasler be feeling this morning? Marty Taupau seemed like an unstoppable force on the field yesterday, advancing effortlessly.”

The Titans’ spine composition has been a hot topic over the off-season, with multiple players contending for limited positions.

Rumours suggest Kieran Foran may miss out on a starting position, with Brimson anticipated to team up with dynamic Jayden Campbell in the halves for round one.

However, Parker has raised concerns regarding Campbell’s suitability for maintaining the No.7 role throughout the season and how others fit into the plans.

“At this stage of his career, I don’t believe playing as a half-back is the best move for him,” he commented.

“He’s an exceptional player, but his greatest strength lies in his instinctive, spontaneous style of play. If you place him in the No.7 position, it requires him to think about many strategies.

“Does that diminish his potential as an X-factor player? I believe it does.

“Keano Kini had an outstanding season last year and he’ll be their No.1, while Kieran Foran has the capacity to guide the team effectively, so it will be intriguing to see how this unfolds.

Additionally, it raises the question of AJ Brimson’s ideal position. I’m uncertain,” Parker added.

Campbell did feature in the halves for the Indigenous All Stars during their loss to the Māori, but he is expected to be back for the Titans’ second pre-season game.