We're not playing well, say Titans - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

We're not playing well, say Titans

By Wayne Heming 22/04/2009 05:07:42 PM Comments (0)

They are sitting on top of the NRL ladder but the Titans aren't kidding themselves that they are playing great football.

"I think everyone is of the same opinion, we're not going well at all," said Titans chief executive Michael Searle in a startling admission on Wednesday.

Committed defence has been the key to their five wins from six games so far with coach John Cartwright and former Queensland Origin hardman Trevor Gillmeister toughening up the players this season.

They are conceding just 12 points a game - the best defence in the NRL.

But their attack hasn't clicked and the club realises it can't get carried away with its lofty ladder position until it rectifies that glaring problem.

"Our attack has been poor but our defence has been exceptional," said Searle.

"The purists love the work Carty (Cartwright) and Gilly (Gillmeister) have done with the boys and we're a bit bigger side this year.

"But on the attacking front, we haven't clicked which is a positive I guess that we're on top of the ladder.

"We've also won (twice from two games) without Princey (star halfback Scott Prince) and we've won without him playing fantastic footy so there is a lot of upside."

While happy to be equal on competition points with Brisbane, Searle said some pundits might be surprised to see two Queensland sides on top of the ladder.

"I think we (Titans and Broncos) are both smokeys really," he told AAP.

"I think most people put a line through the Broncos when Wayne (Bennett) left and I think people dismissed our form from last year as being a bit fortuitous."

Winning has already had its rewards.

"We had about 3000 more at our game against the Raiders last week than we expected," said Searle.

The Titans co-founder believes a NRL home final this year would be "huge" given the impending arrival of an AFL side on the Gold Coast in 2011.

"If we could get a home semi-final, that would be incredible for this city and for the game," he said.

The Titans came close to making the finals last season before injuries to key players including Prince, who broke his arm playing Origin, and forwards Luke Bailey and Anthony Minichiello, who suffered ankle injuries, cruelled their charge.

"There's 19 games to go and we need to get our attack right before we start talking about staying on top of the ladder," said Searle.

"Our goal of making the finals hasn't changed and if we can fix our attack, we'll be well on the way."

The Titans put their competition lead on the line against Penrith next Monday night.

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