As Gold Coast prepare to face Jamal Fogarty and Canberra, Titans’ coach Justin Holbrook has admitted, in hindsight, it was a mistake to release the halfback to the Raiders.
Fogarty and the Raiders will face the struggling Titans at CBUS Super Stadium on Saturday firmly in the race for finals football after three wins in their past four games.
Gold Coast however are in a battle to avoid a second wooden spoon in four years after winning just one of their past 14 matches.
The Titans’ woeful campaign has only highlighted the risk the club took heading into 2022 by handing the keys to an inexperienced spine of halfback Toby Sexton, five-eighth AJ Brimson, and fullback Jayden Campbell and unproven hooker Erin Clark.
Having opted to go into the year with Sexton and Brimson as his first-choice halves combination, Holbrook allowed Fogarty to leave the Titans to take up a three-year deal with the Raiders despite the 28-year-old having a deal with Gold Coast until the end of the 2023 season.
It’s a decision Holbrook concedes has backfired.
“If I’d have known where we’re sitting now, it’s easy,” Holbrook said.
“That’s why it’s easy to comment on things after they happen but you need the crystal ball … it hasn’t worked out the way we would have liked and that’s obvious.
“We’ll cop that on the chin and hence why we’ve gone and bought Kieran Foran (for next season).
“I can’t change what we’ve done.”
In a bid to snap an eight-game losing streak, Holbrook has shuffled his forward pack for Saturday’s game.
Captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has moved to prop while Clark starts at lock, meaning Isaac Liu moves to the interchange bench.
Brimson will also stay at fullback with Campbell on the bench as Tanah Boyd continues to partner Sexton in the halves.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has opted to stick with the same 17 that claimed a win over the Warriors last weekend with a big second-half comeback.
Stuart says Fogarty’s return may be of interest to his No.7 but hadn’t been widely discussed leading into the match.
“Jamal will be very motivated to play well, but he’s a real team player,” Stuart said.
“He never makes it about himself.
“We really haven’t had to put too much emphasis on it.”
