TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 28: Titans coach Justin Holbrook looks on during a media interview before the start of the round three NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Gold Coast Titans at QCB Stadium on March 28, 2021, in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
Gold Coast Titans coach has revealed he is hopeful that Jayden Campbell will return next week, but is unsure of how to fit him into his 17 after the club suffered their seventh straight loss on Saturday evening.
Pressure on Holbrook has been growing in recent weeks, and while it was originally suggested he may have been axed by the club over the bye week, he is still in charge at this stage as the NRL’s coaching merry-go-round continues.
Only the Canterbury Bulldogs – who were the first of three clubs to be on the hunt for a new coach – are still looking for a 2023 boss, with most of the perceived top options as the NRL’s next head coach also still looking for a job, easing the time pressure on the Titans to make a call on Holbrook.
The bye weeks appears to have given Holbrook plenty of thinking time, with big changes to his team for a game against the Broncos where the Titans seemed to play better than they have in weeks.
AJ Brimson back at fullback seems to be the way forward, however, Holbrook wouldn’t rule out moving him back to five-eighth when Campbell returns.
“I’m hopeful that he’ll be cleared to be available next week,” Holbrook said.
“We’ll have to get him in there somewhere.
“We all know AJ is a terrific fullback. We’ll have to weigh that up this week.”
The 16-12 loss to the Broncos saw Brimson play possibly his best game of the year, making 250 metres to go with six line breaks and a pair of tackle busts, seemingly recapturing the form which has seen him coined as one of the NRL’s best attacking players.
It was that form which saw him make a State of Origin debut in 2020, while he also doubled the Titans’ points per game after returning from injury in the same season.
The Titans are an unlikely shot at the finals, and would have to win every game they have left to have chance of repeating their 2021 performance, where they finished in eighth spot to scrape into the finals.
Source:: ZeroTackle
