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Titans coach delivers 'home truths' to side after Raiders score 16 points in 20 minutes to record comfortable victory

Lachlan Harper
Lachlan Harper

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Titans coach Josh Hannay has confirmed he delivered some "home truths" to his side after a 28-12 loss against the Raiders at home.

The Raiders shot out to a 16-0 lead in the first 20 minutes and the Titans were realistically never in the fight from there.

Hannay's men hit back through Phillip Sami in the corner to keep the Titans in the contest at half-time.

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Raiders winger Simi Sasagi was first to cross after the break to extend the lead to 22-6.

Simi Sasagi.  NRL Imagery

Sasagi's try didn't put the result beyond doubt though and when Jojo Fifita pounced on a grubber in the 66th minute, the Titans were in the mix at 22-12.

However, the much-needed four-pointer didn't arrive and in the dying seconds Raiders centre Seb Kris grabbed an intercept near the halfway line and raced away to score his first try of the season.

Post-match, Hannay was furious with his side's start.

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"I've got to be careful with what I say here," he said.

"I thought we started with a soft mentality ... we had a couple of chances but the reality is we were never in the (fight). We never had the energy or intent to deserving anything today, we got what we deserved.

Josh Hannay.  NRL

The result was made even more disappointing in the context that the Titans had shown improvements under his coaching.

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In the last two matches, his men defeated the Eels 52-10 before putting up a fight across the ditch and losing only 28-20 to the Warriors.

But Hannay conceded his side have gone a "step backwards" with their defence.

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He also refrained from saying whether he'd sprayed his side post-game but a stern message had been delivered.

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"I don't like the word spray, it's some home truths," he said.

"We built up a really strong rapport over a short time with this group, the players are tight, we're tight, so it needs to feel like a safe space to have those conversations ... we trust ourselves to have honest conversations and that's what they just got."

Captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, who was sitting next to Hannay, admitted it's what the team needed to hear.

"We needed it, I needed it," he said.

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"We need to hear the truth to get better. We're quite disappointed, we turned up with the wrong attitude today, including myself, in the first half and second half. We just didn't get our game on, tossed up a lot of shit and need to look in the mirror at ourselves."

Hannay had also warned there was depth in the squad to make changes but wasn't willing to discuss team selection in a public forum.

On the flip side, the Raiders will have a satisfying trip home, particularly halfback Ethan Sanders, who had one of his best games since joining the club.

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Sanders contributed three line break assists, two try assists and kicked for 628 metres to show Ricky Stuart why he was right to have faith in the youngster after Jamal Fogarty's departure.

Ethan Sanders. NRL Imagery

His coach told reporters post-match that the half is "just getting better".

"I know he cops a lot of criticism. I remember where I was 11 games in, I was nowhere near his standard," Stuart said.

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"He will just keep getting better and there's parts of his game we're trying to eliminate out of him and there's parts of his games he'll have to continue with because it'll make him a better player. But he's nowhere near the finished product. Where he'll be in two years time will be a smart, dominating halfback."

The Raiders did have one concern with Joe Roddy breaking his hand in the first half.

Roddy did play on for several minutes before he had to be brought off, with Stuart noting the young forward had been tackling with one hand.

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