How Josh Hannay Is Quietly Changing The Gold Coast Titans

Joel Johnston

Editor

Last updated: Wed 24 Jun 2026 13:12

Joel Johnston 1 hour ago

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Josh Hannay has instilled resilience and organization in the Titans.
The team’s win over Penrith signals a cultural and defensive shift.
Young roster and unified coaching offer newfound hope for the future.

Gold Coast Titans head coach Josh Hannay

How Josh Hannay Is Quietly Changing The Gold Coast Titans

For years, the Gold Coast Titans have been one of the easiest teams in the NRL to predict.

How Josh Hannay Is Quietly Changing The Gold Coast Titans
The Titans Finally Passed A Real Test
Josh Hannay Has Changed The Standard
The Future Suddenly Looks A Lot Clearer
Are The Titans Turning The Corner?

Not because they were consistently good or consistently bad, but because the same problems kept showing up no matter who was coaching, who was playing halfback or how much attacking talent they had on the field. The Titans could score points with anyone. The challenge was always what happened when the momentum swung against them.

Too often, games would unravel quickly. A missed tackle would become two. A poor set would become three. Before long, the Titans would find themselves chasing a game they had every chance of winning.

That's why their upset victory over Penrith in Round 16 felt different and not because they beat the Panthers, but because they won a game that previous Titans teams almost certainly lose.

The Titans Finally Passed A Real Test

There have been moments over the past few seasons where the Titans have looked impressive. They've upset good teams before and they've produced highlight-reel tries while putting points on quality opposition.

The difference against Penrith was that the performance wasn't built on moments of brilliance. It was built on resilience.

The Panthers spent large periods of the game controlling territory and applying pressure. Dylan Edwards ran for over 300 metres, Penrith repeatedly worked their way into attacking positions and there were plenty of opportunities for the game to get away from the Titans.

Instead, they stayed in the fight by scrambling defensively, absorbing pressure and trusting their systems. More importantly, they never looked like a side waiting for something to go wrong.

Josh Hannay Has Changed The Standard

The most encouraging part of the Titans' recent improvement isn't the result itself. It's the way they're going about it.

When we talked about the Titans on the League of Inches podcast, the biggest takeaway wasn't that the Titans suddenly looked like premiership contenders, it was that they looked organised. They looked committed to the defensive side of the game and they looked like a team that understood what was required to compete for 80 minutes.

That might not sound revolutionary, but for a club that has spent years searching for consistency, it's a significant step and I think Josh Hannay deserves credit for that.

The Titans still make mistakes which is natural given they're still a young side in key positions and there will almost certainly be setbacks before the season is over. But there is a noticeable difference between a team making mistakes while trying to build something and a team making the same mistakes year after year.

The Future Suddenly Looks A Lot Clearer

What makes the progress even more encouraging is the age profile of the roster. Keano Kini continues to develop into one of the most exciting young fullbacks in the competition while Jayden Campbell looks increasingly comfortable with more responsibility in the attack. AJ Brimson has settled into a role that suits his strengths and there are several young forwards beginning to establish themselves at NRL level.

For a long time, the Titans felt like a club constantly resetting with every season seemingly starting with a new plan and finishing with more questions than answers. This version feels different because there is finally a spine worth investing in. There is finally a coach implementing a clear style and most importantly, there is finally evidence that the players are buying into it.

Are The Titans Turning The Corner?

We all know in the NRL, one win doesn't change everything. The Titans are still near the bottom of the ladder and nobody is seriously suggesting they're about to launch a premiership charge. Young teams are rarely linear and there will be games over the next two months where they take a step backwards.

But that's not really the point, the point is that for the first time in a long time, there are genuine signs of progress beyond the scoreboard.

The Titans are defending better, they're competing longer and they're showing resilience in situations where previous versions of the club would have fallen away.

That's why the win over Penrith matters, because it suggests Josh Hannay might finally be building something worth believing in.

The Titans host the Bulldogs this week for another important test. If the improvement is genuine, these are the games they now need to stay competitive in consistently.