Cowboys win turns up heat on embattled Hasler
Des Hasler's storied NRL coaching career is hanging by a thread after his Gold Coast side were beaten by North Queensland 30-24 on a wet and miserable afternoon at the Titans' Cbus Super Stadium.
The loss was the 11th of the season for Hasler's men, and with just four wins to their name the Gold Coast are anchored firmly to the bottom of the NRL ladder and the heat on Hasler has risen a notch or three.
Hasler has coached 497 NRL games but whether he reaches 500 is surely now in question.
A two-time premiership winning coach at Manly, Hasler now owns a 12-27 record in one-and-a-half seasons on the Gold Coast.
The Titans have a bye next week, the ideal time for the club to make a move if it's determined Hasler's time is up.
Dearden combines with Drinkwater! 🤠#NRLTitansCowboys Telstra Moment of the Match pic.twitter.com/g2wtDZUnA1
— NRL (@NRL) June 29, 2025
Sunday's game was a match-up between the NRL's two worst defensive teams, both with a coach under pressure and desperate to turn their fortunes around.
And while the victory kept the Cowboys' stuttering season alive, it was hardly a performance to strike fear into the competition's leading teams.
Along with their known defensive frailties, both sides were spluttering in attack and made a host of errors in the greasy conditions.
Zac Laybutt got the scoreboard ticking for the Cowboys after a slashing Scott Drinkwater break just seven minutes into the first half, before Murray Taulagi crossed in the 17th to give the visitors a 12-0 lead.
Beau Fermor pulled one back for the Titans 11 minutes later and at halftime it was 12-6.
It was a scrappy first 40 minutes with the teams combining for 13 errors and averaging less than 33 metres gained per set.
Tom Dearden burst through a tackle to set up Drinkwater five minutes into the second half and the Cowboys had another via Jeremiah Nanai off a kick four minutes later.
Gold Coast's Brian Kelly put in a tricky banana kick for AJ Brimson to score after 54 minutes and when Jojo Fifita touched down 10 minutes later the Titans looked well and truly in the match.
But a peach of a pass from Reece Robson sent Drinkwater over with eight minutes left on the clock to put paid to the Titans' comeback.
Phillip Sami scored for Gold Coast with four minutes remaining, but time was not on their side.
North Queensland's Origin incumbents Robson, Reuben Cotter, Dearden and Nanai appeared to come through the match unscathed.
Titans duo Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Moeaki Fotuaika should be available for Queensland in Origin III on July 9.
The Cowboys' Maroons hopeful, Taulagi, looked to injure his knee midway through the second half but played on.
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