Bailey backs besieged Titans coach

Veteran Titans front-rower Luke Bailey has shielded besieged coach John Cartwright from fierce criticism, saying Gold Coast’s players are to blame for their dire NRL predicament.

Cartwright is under the gun after the club’s board on Wednesday decided to conduct a comprehensive review of the Titans’ on and off-field operations.

The Coast sit 13th, spiralling out of control after leading the competition in round six, and home crowds at Robina have slumped dramatically since they averaged 20,000-plus in their early years.

Even with two years to run on his five-year, Cartwright is also under pressure for only taking his team to two finals series in eight years – the last back in 2010.

While free-agent Wayne Bennett is seen as too expensive for the cash-strapped club, the Titans do have an experienced NRL coach, Neil Henry, at the club assisting Cartwright.

Former NSW prop Bailey has been with Cartwright since the club’s inception in 2007 and felt the review was “a long time coming”.

But he also hoped Cartwright could continue on as head coach and labelled a fan-driven “Sack Carty” campaign unfair.

“I’d love to see him here,” Bailey said on Thursday. “He’s formed a good relationship with Neil and we just have to put the points on the board, and I’d love to be here with him.

“He’s done the best he can, he’s given us the simplest game plan to follow and we’re not doing that, so most of the blame has to fall on the players.”

Bailey said a strong culture remained at the club but he admitted they had let themselves down with some “embarrassing” home losses, including Sunday’s 36-20 upset loss to Canberra.

Co-captain Greg Bird stressed the pressure was on players and coaches alike and had no issues with the review.

“It’s understandable,” Bird said. “The performances on the paddock haven’t been as good as we expect from a playing team as ourselves.

“They have to sort the football club out the way they do it.

“It’s everyone’s responsibility to get together and fight our way out of this.

“We potentially have the team to do it.”

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