Hard-working Titans prop Jaimin Jolliffe believes their second half showing against the Cowboys are the green shoots showing the Gold Coast are on track to turn around their tough start in 2024.
Scoring a flurry of four-pointers to put the pressure on North Queensland in the final 40 minutes in Townsville, the 27-year-old has full faith the pleasing signs will result in a much improved showing against the Raiders this weekend.
"From a team standpoint, we’re all feeling good and confident that we can turn it around,” Jolliffe told SENQ’s Pat and Heals.
"Obviously, we’re zero and four at the moment, but there is a genuine belief that we can turn it around and teams have done it before.
"Teams have been on the bottom, and you create your own luck, so we just have to keep working hard.
"There’s no secret to it. We just have to stick at it."
Round 5 highlights: Cowboys v Titans
Falling short of a momentous comeback to secure their first win for the season, the 73-gamer is confident the outside noise will not disrupt the playing group's mindset.
"Outside noise comes with professional sport, and especially when you don’t start well," Jolliffe said.
"But there is a genuine belief that we can turn things around, and you’ve got to take it week by week.
"There were a lot better signs in the second half, and I think it could’ve gone one of two ways when we were down 26-4, but we scrapped and clawed our way back.
"At the same time, it’s the same narrative and we keep doing it to ourselves. Turning over ball cheaply, not having enough possession, and not playing down their end of the field.
"It's fundamentals we need to work on and get better at."
Ahead of this Sunday’s game in Canberra, the Titans forward reflected on how their errors against the Cowboys impacted the score line.
"It’s very difficult to bring that energy when you are under the pump so much," Jolliffe said.
"We turned over a lot of cheap possession on the weekend, and when we had the opportunity to build pressure, we’d give them a leg-out penalty, and when we were coming out of our end a couple of times, we’d turn over the ball.
"Especially in weather like that, when you defend back-to-back, it’s very hard to bring energy especially in offence.
"You create your own luck, and we’re making the errors and doing it to ourselves.
"It’s a mindset and an attention to detail. We’ve got players there who are unbelievably creative, but at the moment that sheer weight of defending our own line is running us down."
Match: Raiders v Titans
Round 6 -
home Team
Raiders
3rd Position
away Team
Titans
17th Position
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra
Despite the external pressures on the playing squad and new coach Des Hasler, Jolliffe reaffirmed his support for the two-time premiership winner, praising his tireless work ethic and desire to achieve success on the Gold Coast.
"He has a real belief in us as well. He genuinely does, and he does inspire the players," he said.
"Regardless of outside noise, we as a playing group will come together and talk about what’s going on.
"We take it one week at a time…it was better on the weekend from previous weeks, but we go down to Canberra this weekend and it just it starts again.
"We have to go down there and change it for ourselves."
