It was the non-tackle of the season so far, an inexcusable miss that has former players and fans up in arms.
But Bryce Cartwright will not be dropped by the Titans as a result, says coach Garth Brennan, who admits the high-profile utility is lacking confidence but believes critics of the 23-year-old need to lay off him for welfare reasons.
Struggling: Bryce Cartwright, centre, was again disappointing against the Storm.
Photo: AAP
“My concern is for him,” Brennan said on Sunday. “He seems to be dealing with things at the moment. But people can only take so much.
"Its probably about time people back off. Hes out of form, I accept that, he accepts that. But you can go too far with young players sometimes.”
Cartwright, who joined the Titans this season after being let out of his contract at Penrith on compassionate grounds, was last week accused of “taking the piss” by ex-NSW State of Origin hooker Michael Ennis, so underwhelming have his performances been since his shift north.
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It was difficult to argue with that conclusion at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night as he failed to make an attempt at stopping Melbournes Cameron Munster when he was within range of trying to prevent him scoring.
Brennan said Cartwright had not to his knowledge been carrying a shoulder injury, which might have been a contributing factor, but while the first-year NRL coach was disappointed at Munster being allowed to stroll over for a try, he also defended his beleaguered back-rower.
“He could have made a better effort on that tackle, no doubt, but [Titans fullback] Michael Gordon could have as well,” said Brennan, who coached Cartwright through the grades at Penrith.
“People are making a lot of it because it was Bryce. Hes been creating a lot of headlines for the last 18 months. At the end of the day, hes a 23-year-old kid with a lot of pressure being put on him that is unnecessary.
“There are players on more money at other clubs who arent copping what he is. The amount of scrutiny the poor kid has been under … people have got to realise it may become a welfare issue, to be honest.
"If you keep kicking a dog when hes down hes just going to cower, not grow in confidence. Everyone just needs to lay off him.”
Touted as a future Origin star Cartwright was in 2016 named in a 20-man NSW squad but withdrew with a thumb injury. Two years later and he could hardly be further away from a Blues debut after a staggering fall from grace.
Well-documented personal issues marred his final two years at the Panthers and while he crossed the border looking for a fresh start, he has only gone backwards.
Even so, Brennan said he would be sticking by Cartwright for Gold Coasts next match against Newcastle on Saturday.
“I will be, for sure. There is no issue,” he said. “Without Kevin Proctor (groin) and Will Matthews (concussion) our edge stocks are a little bit light but at the end of the day it was one incident in a game. Ill scrutinise it but there were plenty of other incidents that Ill scrutinise as well.”
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Chris Barrett is a Sports Writer with The Sydney Morning Herald.
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