Defence of Des: Foran shares what Hasler will bring to the Titans

A level of defensive grit that's been missing for the past two seasons heads up the list of things Titans playmaker Kieran Foran expects Des Hasler to bring to the Gold Coast in 2024. 

As Hasler takes charge ahead of the first group of Titans returning for pre-season training on November 6, Foran – who debuted under Hasler in 2009 and has spent a third of his career being coached by him – said he can help solve one of their most pressing issues as a team. 

The Titans have had the fourth-worst defensive record in the Telstra Premiership in each of the past two seasons, giving up 27.2 per game on average in 2023 and 27.5 in 2022. 

This year it was a major factor in them not contending for a spot in the top eight, despite scoring more points across the season than both the Roosters and Raiders who played finals football. 

"Steeliness around our defence. I think that's been an area of concern for a fair while now up there at the Gold Coast," Foran said. 

"Des has always been a defensively minded coach and I think he will bring some really good structures and processes around what we need to do there. 

If we can improve that part of our game and become consistent at it... we don't seem to have a problem scoring points.

Kieran Foran

"He seems to be very excited about the role and I think it is going to be great for the club moving forward.

"Des is going to bring everything that Des brings, [with] plenty of intensity around it, and I am sure that we are going to respond the way that we need to."

While they missed out on playing finals football for the sixth time in the past seven seasons in 2023, the Titans showed glimpses of their potential and troubled a number of eventual top-eight sides. 

They also blooded the likes of prolific winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira, teenage fullback Keano Kini and promising half Tom Weaver, with 33-year-old Foran getting particular enjoyment from helping to develop the next crop of players at the club. 

"They are some of the most exciting youngsters I have come across throughout my career," Foran said. 

"It is awesome to be a part of their careers early on and to be passing on my knowledge."

In the case of Kini that has included the Auckland-born flyer joining Foran in camp with the Kiwis for the Pacific Championships.  

"It's been great [having him with the Kiwis], he is such an amazing kid, Keano. He thoroughly deserves his spot here in this campaign," Foran added. 

"He wants to get better and improve his game every single day and has been asking Charnze [Nicoll-Klokstad] and the guys lots of questions about how to improve his role."