{"id":381095,"date":"2024-04-01T20:15:02","date_gmt":"2024-04-01T20:15:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=381095"},"modified":"2024-04-01T21:03:01","modified_gmt":"2024-04-01T21:03:01","slug":"awkward-situation-unearthed-in-awful-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=381095","title":{"rendered":"'Awkward' situation unearthed in 'awful' performance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Des Hasler<\/a> faces one of the most awkward decisions of his long coaching career this week following the Titans' 30-14 capitulation to the Dolphins<\/a> on Saturday night.<\/p>\n

The Titans<\/a> got off to a dream start, leading 10-0 after 13 minutes, before falling to pieces and conceding 30 straight points.<\/p>\n

Gold Coast's attack was awful – and halves Tanah Boyd and Kieran Foran have to take much of the blame for that.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Twist in Tszyu future as rival agent confirms intent\ufeff<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Raiders fume over rival trainer's sneaky act<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\ufeffREAD MORE:<\/strong> Fuming Lions hit out as off-season holiday mess escalates<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

They produced little creativity with the ball and missed 12 tackles between them as the Dolphins charged home to what turned out to be an easy win.<\/p>\n

Hasler needs to change his halves – and get AJ Brimson, a talented speedster who is wasted in the centres, closer to the ball.<\/p>\n

\"Kieran<\/p>\n

That means Hasler may have to drop his long-time ally Foran, who at 33 years of age is still a talented player – but his best days are behind him.<\/p>\n

An easier option may be relegating Boyd, who is struggling at number seven and could join the growing list of halfbacks to get the chop in the early rounds.<\/p>\n

Watch the 2024 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and<\/strong><\/em> 9Now<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Either way, changes have to be made or the last-placed Titans will be headed for the wooden spoon.<\/p>\n

\"NRL<\/p>\n

****<\/h2>\n

PNG cult hero Justin Olam<\/a> is fast proving himself one of the best buys of 2024.\ufeff<\/p>\n

Unwanted by the Storm, Olam is undefeated as a Tiger<\/a>, winning both his games and scoring three tries along the way.<\/p>\n

Olam bagged a double in the upset win over Parramatta on Sunday<\/a> and his clinical finishing proved the difference between the teams in a tight affair.<\/p>\n

He also pulled off several of his trademark hits in defence and has got his career right back on track after being dropped at one stage last season.<\/p>\n

****<\/h2>\n

\ufeffThe bench is becoming more and more a part of the modern game – as Jack Williams proved emphatically in Sunday's fightback win by Cronulla over the Raiders<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Canberra flew out of the blocks, leading 18-0 and appearing to have the game at their mercy until Williams turned the tide when he entered the fray.<\/p>\n

The big man was the most influential forward on the field, producing an impressive 46-minute stint that included a team-high 176 run metres and 26 tackles.<\/p>\n

The Raiders couldn't handle Williams' firepower and he helped the injury-hit Sharks to a fine 36-22 win.<\/p>\n

A strong ball runner, Williams will be a key man in the Sharks' quest for a top-four spot in the coming months.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

****<\/h2>\n

\ufeffFortune has favoured the Warriors<\/a> with the talented Chanel Harris-Tavita deciding to return to rugby league after a 'gap year' in 2023.<\/p>\n

When the Wahs lost Luke Metcalf through a nasty leg injury<\/a> early in the game against Newcastle on Sunday, things could have turned sour for the Kiwi team.<\/p>\n

But enter Harris-Tavita, the only back on the Warriors' bench. He fitted seamlessly into Metcalf's five-eighth spot, scoring one try and laying on another in the Warriors' grafting 20-12 win<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A talented playmaker who takes some of the heat off Shaun Johnson, Harris-Tavita is set for a long stint at number six and the spot appears in good hands.<\/p>\n

\"Star<\/p>\n

****<\/h2>\n

\ufeffIs there a more improved player in the opening month of 2024 than Dragons<\/a> fullback Tyrell Sloan?<\/p>\n

The speedy fullback starred with a two-try performance in the upset 20-12 defeat of Manly on Saturday night<\/a>, taking his tally to six touchdowns in just four games.<\/p>\n

Along the way, he clearly out-pointed Manly superstar Tom Trbojevic, who had an error-filled game like many of his teammates.<\/p>\n

Sloan looks to have gained both weight and confidence in the off-season and is a different player from the one who struggled to hold down a top-grade spot in 2023.<\/p>\n

\"Dragons<\/p>\n

****<\/h2>\n

\ufeffTristan Sailor put himself in the NRL shop window with an eye-catching display in the Broncos' 38-12 demolition of the Cowboys<\/a> in a one-sided Queensland derby.<\/p>\n

Sailor is signed to the Broncos until the end of 2025 but the son of club legend Wendell showed he is simply too good to be a fill-in for Reece Walsh for the next 18 months.<\/p>\n

Rival clubs are certain to show interest in Sailor after he gave his best performance in the top grade to date at Suncorp.<\/p>\n

Sailor was safe in defence and under the high ball, had 179 run metres and four tackle breaks in a highly impressive display.<\/p>\n

But as good as Sailor was, he knows he will drop straight back to Q Cup or the bench when Walsh returns – and that's why he needs to find himself a new home for 2025.<\/p>\n

\"Sailor's<\/p>\n

****<\/h2>\n

\ufeffThe Cowboys<\/a>' Achilles heel was revealed in Friday night's big loss to the Broncos.<\/p>\n

After starting the season in perfect style in the opening three rounds, the Cowboys came undone in monsoon-like rain at Suncorp Stadium.<\/p>\n

It took the Cowboys' record in rain-affected games to seven losses from their last eight – and with winter coming that's a major concern for coach Todd Payten.<\/p>\n

His side loves playing free-flowing open footy and that becomes a high-risk style when the heavens open.<\/p>\n

The Cowboys couldn't get their game working in the wet on Good Friday night, making plenty of unforced errors, and may have to re-think their tactics in slippery conditions in future.<\/p>\n

****<\/h2>\n

\ufeffStar recruit Jack Wighton<\/a> justified his hefty off-season move to Souths by leading the Rabbitohs to a gritty 20-16 win over a stubborn Bulldogs side<\/a> on Good Friday.<\/p>\n

Wighton's finishing power – he bagged two tries and ran for 131 metres – proved the difference between the two out-of-form teams.<\/p>\n

The game was crucial for the Bunnies – had they lost four straight the pressure vice would have moved to breaking point.<\/p>\n

To put it in perspective, the last time Souths made the finals after losing their first four games was 1957 – the year Slim Dusty won his first gold record for 'A Pub With No Beer'.<\/p>\n

It's been a long time between drinks since then\u2026 thus the importance of the Rabbitohs getting off their duck egg on Good Friday.<\/p>\n

\"Wighton<\/p>\n

****<\/h2>\n

Sam Walker and Luke Keary are as good as any halfback combination in the NRL on their day, but they are being targetted by rival clubs in defence.<\/p>\n

\ufeffThe pair missed 10 tackles between them in the 22-16 loss to the Panthers<\/a> on Thursday night.<\/p>\n

Both are brave little men who are happy to put their bodies on the line.<\/p>\n

But close to the tryline, they find it too hard to stop hulking forwards 20 to 30 kilos heavier than them.<\/p>\n

\"NRL<\/p>\n

The Panthers' big men were simply too hot to handle and – even without the great Nathan Cleary – they pounded the Roosters into submission.<\/p>\n

Cleary's replacement Brad Schneider, back from a stint in England, had a fine debut for the club and showed he will be a capable backup for the State of Origin star in the coming months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Des Hasler faces one of the most awkward decisions of his long coaching career this week following the Titans' 30-14 capitulation to the Dolphins on […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":381097,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/381095"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=381095"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/381095\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":381105,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/381095\/revisions\/381105"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/381097"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=381095"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=381095"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=381095"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}