EXCLUSIVE: Slater tells Des Hasler to 'get on with it and play' after coach's unprompted 'whinge'

NRL legend Billy Slater has clipped Gold Coast coach Des Hasler for a "whinge" about his club's draw, after playing the last game in round two following a round one bye.

The Titans started their campaign with a 40-24 loss to Canterbury at Belmore on Sunday evening after a disrupted lead-in that was complicated by Cyclone Alfred.

It was the last game of round two, and therefore the 16th game of the season.

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The four NRL teams who travelled to Las Vegas to kickstart the season - the Raiders, Warriors, Panthers, and Sharks - all played their round two games before Gold Coast had played their first.

Speaking after Sunday's loss, Hasler took an unprompted swipe at the NRL.

"There has probably been 17 games of footy played before we get to play one," he told media.

"Certainly not using that as an excuse in any way... but there seems to have been a lot of footy played before we get there."

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No journalist followed up his comments to clarify what his complaint was.

Speaking on Nine's The Billy Slater Podcast on Monday, Slater criticised the veteran coach for raising the issue.

"I get you had a bye in round one, but they are the cards you've been dealt," Slater said.

"You've just got to get on with it and play.

"You can't whinge about it.

"The more you talk about it, the more it becomes an issue and a distraction for your team.

"At the end of the day they didn't start the game overly well. They were on the back foot from the start, and the Bulldogs were up and about."

The Titans host Newcastle in round three.