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Sport
Scott Bailey

Titans see hope in run of close losses

Gold Coast have had a tough NRL season start but coach Justin Holbrook isn't panicking. (AAP)

Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook insists there is no need to turn his team upside down or make major tactical changes despite their losing start to the NRL season.

The Titans' 26-18 defeat to Manly on Saturday night marked the fourth loss in the opening six rounds for last year's finalists, after a summer in which they revamped their spine.

Toby Sexton in particular had a difficult night at Brookvale with two errors and two missed tackles, while the jury is still out on whether AJ Brimson is better suited to five-eighth or his old spot at fullback.

But Holbrook is willing to see the upside.

Again the Titans scored as many tries as Manly with four apiece, with goalkicking the difference as the Sea Eagles slotted five goals to the Gold Coast's one.

It marked the third time this year the Titans have lost a game despite scoring equal tries, with their 24-22 collapse to Canberra in round three the only time an opponent has crossed more than them.

And while his team are therefore failing to win the big moments and often being left to rue slow starts, Holbrook is banking on the claim that not much needs to change.

"When you get beat it's so hard because you are looking at a million things," Holbrook said when asked of his halves' development together.

"If Beau (Fermor) scores (a try that was disallowed for offside) at the end we might have led five tries to four.

"If we saved one try here or there then we could be sitting here differently.

"You can over-analyse stuff ... I don't want to flip everything upside down. Because we're not getting beat by much.

"It's just a matter of tinkering with those key guys, that's where we are going to get the uplift."

Holbrook can at least see upside in his team's use of million-dollar man David Fifita.

The second-rower still went through phases without being delivered enough ball in attack, but bumped off two defenders to set up one try and did it again to score one of his own as Gold Coast fought from 24-4 down.

"I didn't feel like he wasn't in the game," Holbrook said when asked if Fifita was given enough ball.

"In the first half it was hard, I think they dictated the game to us and did a great job of that.

"In the second half I felt we did that to them and noticed him a bit more so.

"I have no issues with David, we're just not winning key moments for long periods of time."

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