Kevin Proctor says the quality and intensity of Titans training is proof the Gold Coast are not far away from “clicking” on the field, and the captain hopes the team can preach what it has been practising against the Eels on Friday.
A perfect Storm of new structures, injuries, new combinations and dwindling confidence have prevented the Titans from getting any traction as they have tried to jump-start their season since Craig Hodges took the coaching reins five weeks ago.
After a disastrously dark day against the Roosters in Round 20, the gloom lifted around the Titans last weekend when the Gold Coast turned on some brilliant attacking football against the Dragons in Sydney.
The Gold Coast’s defence was still not good enough to prevent the Dragons escaping with a 40-28 win, but Proctor’s experience tells him that the hard work being done at training will eventually convert into the 80-minute performance Titans fans are craving for.
“I don’t know what it is, our quality of training has been so much better”, but it just hasn’t really clicked for us yet,” Proctor said.
“Me and ‘Hodgo’ were talking about it at training, and we’re doing everything right at training, we just haven’t clicked. Hopefully we click this weekend, so we can finish off the back-end of the season.
“Our structures have changed a little bit, and we’ve got guys in different positions. (Tyrone) Peachey was out there, and he hasn’t played five-eighth all year basically. He’s just getting used to being in that position and working with the edge.”
Proctor said tightening the Gold Coast’s defensive line had been a priority to give the Titans their best chance at victory over the next four weeks.
“It’s the individual efforts from some guys, and some have been working really hard on their defence,” he said.
“We scored 28 points on the weekend, and when you score that many points, you expect to win those games. We’ve just leaked way too many points in the last two or three weeks.
“The boys have been great at training. They haven’t sooked about it or whinged too much. They’ve just got in there, ripped in and worked hard, and that’s the only way we’re going to change it. It’s been a really good attitude from the boys.”
