Gold Coast five-eighth Aidan Sezer has revealed how he went against doctors orders to step up when his side needed him most, taking responsibility for the second conversion attempt and then slotting a field goal with 11 minutes to play on Monday night.
With a try to the Cowboys after the full-time siren Sezer's one-pointer proved the difference and helped vault the Titans to fourth on the NRL competition table, a position that would have been doubtful had Sezer not taken his place in the side.
Struggling to be passed fit after suffering a quadriceps strain in his left leg against the Tigers in Round 2, Sezer told NRL.com that he doubted he would play as late as Friday and that goalkicking was a major concern of the Gold Coast medical staff.
"I haven't done any goalkicking practice since the Tigers game, I haven't even kicked a goal since the Tigers game so that was the first one," Sezer said of his conversion of Brad Tighe's try that stretched the home side's lead to six points.
"Friday I was doubting myself a bit, I'll be honest, and probably didn't feel 100 per cent but it's the NRL and no one plays 100 per cent. I knew if I could get there or thereabouts I'd take my place in the team.
"The docs and the physio staff have been monitoring me really hard so they told me not to kick goals tonight because it was going to stir it up again. I knew with the situation of the game we needed the two points and I guess they'll be happy with me getting the two points.
"'Birdy' (Titans co-captain Greg Bird) took the first kick and he was going to take the one that we needed to convert but I knew that's my job in the team.
"I'm the goalkicker of this team and I think that responsibility falls on my shoulders. I stepped up and I got the kick and obviously it come in handy with them scoring the last try."
While halfback Albert Kelly provided the star power that got the Titans home in Round 3, it was Sezer's cool head and kicking game that punished a wasteful Cowboys outfit and improved their record to 3-1 after the opening month.
While coach John Cartwright was delighted with his on-field performance, it was his efforts to play at all that sent the greatest message to his teammates.
"It was just good the way he got back on the paddock. He probably could have had another week – they thought it was probably a bit longer injury – but he worked very hard and he wasn't going to have not playing tonight.
"That's always a good message for the team."
The Titans next assignment is a Storm side smarting from a 40-12 defeat at the hands of the Bulldogs but Sezer is confident that the spirit within the team will only be strengthened by gritty wins such as Monday night.
"To get the two points tonight is a confidence boost and I'm sure the boys will get a bit of morale out of this, it's good to close out games the way we did against such quality opposition," Sezer said.
"We know we have the team to match it with anyone and the boys in the middle there, they're second to none with their fitness and stamina. As long as we stay in the game it's up to me and my hooker and my halfback to get the boys there and we did that [against the Cowboys] and without playing our best footy we got the two points."
