From fighting their way into the finals last year to fighting to avoid the spoon in 2022, the Titans’ fall from grace has been dramatic and coach Justin Holbrook says the club reached a point where they simply couldn’t continue the way they were going.
With three wins to their name from 16 games and only Wests Tigers below them on the ladder, the Titans made the decision this week to part ways with assistant coach Jim Dymock after three seasons with the club.
The 1995 Clive Churchill Medal winner joined the Titans from Cronulla in 2020, helping to lift the club from last in 2019 to ninth in 2020 and eighth last year, where they bowed in a heartbreaker against the Roosters in week one of the finals.
With Roosters premiership winner Isaac Liu and utility Will Smith coming on board for 2022, the Titans were expected to again challenge for a top-eight spot but with one win from their past 12 games, something had to give.
“We’re having a poor season, we get that,” Holbrook said.
“Jimmy has been here three years and we made a decision he would not be renewed. We needed some new faces in terms our staff.
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“He’s a terrific coach, he’s well respected in our game and he’ll have a big future, but what we are doing hasn’t really worked out.
“Every club makes changes with assistant coaches but it’s amplified because of where we sit on the ladder. We could have waited until the end of the season but we figured where we are sitting we’d try and get a start on next year.
“We’ve got the nucleus here and with a couple of staff changes and a couple of player changes we’ll fight our way back up.”
Foremost of the player changes is the arrival of premiership-winning playmaker Kieran Foran from Manly next year, with Holbrook hoping the 254-game veteran can provide guidance and stability to a young spine.
After handing the keys to 21-year-old Toby Sexton and 23-year-old AJ Brimson at the start of the season, Holbrook liked what he saw in the opening month as the dynamic duo spearheaded wins over the Warriors and Tigers.
Gifted fullback Jayden Campbell also started the year strongly before a rib injury sidelined him for six games, five of which the Titans lost.
The son of club legend Preston Campbell returned in style in a round 10 win over the Dragons but a subsequent hamstring injury has torn another hole in the 22-year-old’s season.
“We made a decision as a club to go with a young spine but unfortunately we haven’t been able to keep them on the field,” Holbrook said.
Holbrook: 'We were awful'
“Jayden, AJ and Toby have played only six games together and then we had Will Smith was experienced guy who could slot in anywhere but we couldn’t keep him for personal reasons.
“In the short term losing an experienced half who could fill in anywhere hurt us but we can’t dwell on that.
“We’ve worked hard to keep key guys like Tino and AJ and Mo [Fotuaika] but we’re just missing a couple of pieces.
“With an experienced half and possibly an experienced No.9 we have the nucleus of a good side.
“We know we’ve got Kieran coming and we know what other clubs have done with an experienced half. We’re in a good position salary cap-wise to pick up another couple of quality players.”
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Of more immediate concern for Holbrook is Saturday’s derby against the Broncos, who produced a stunning second-half comeback from 24-4 down to roll the Titans in round 12.
With Campbell still sidelined, Brimson takes the fullback role and Sexton calls the shots at No.7, with Tanah Boyd starting a game for the first time this year at five-eighth and Aaron Booth making his club debut at hooker.
“We are not giving up [on 2022] but we were awful last game so we’re not going to stick with that,” Holbrook said.
“It’s a good opportunity to give Aaron Booth a go. He had a disrupted pre-season and a slow start to year but he’s a genuine hooker and we are excited to give Jojo Fifita his debut [on the wing].
“He’s a good learner, a great catcher of the ball and he’s strong and extremely fast.
“He came to us from rugby union but he has picked the game up really quick.
“We have some great young guys at our club and it’s the perfect opportunity to give them a go.”