Manly's pride jersey controversy won't be used as an excuse by Des Hasler after a 44-24 NRL loss to Gold Coast ended the Sea Eagles' finals hopes.
Needing a win to have any chance of staying in the race for the playoffs, the Sea Eagles were blown away at CBUS Super Stadium on Sunday by a Titans team on a 10-game losing run and playing without inspirational captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui.
Despite that absence, Gold Coast ran in seven tries to four to secure just their fourth win of the season and move off the bottom of the competition ladder after round 22.
The defeat was Manly's fourth in a row and came after the controversial decision by seven players to sit out the round 20 loss to Sydney Roosters rather than wear a rainbow jersey.
The 20-point loss means the 10th-placed Sea Eagles are six points outside the top eight with three matches to play.
Given the eighth-placed Roosters hold a significantly better differential, it would take a miraculous set of results for Hasler's team to reach the finals.
Hasler was adamant his team's disappointing display with their season on the line against the struggling Titans had nothing to do with the jersey controversy.
"We didn't play well. It's as simple as that," Hasler said.
"It's not like we didn't come here with a chance, we certainly recognised that, but we didn't do it justice today and that's disappointing.
"The players know it too."
Adding injury to insult, Sea Eagles winger Jason Saab also suffered suspected ACL damage in the second half, while Dylan Walker was sin-binned and placed on report for a first-half high shot on Titan Jojo Fifita just seconds after coming off the interchange bench.
Gold Coast's day couldn't have started more ominously, with Fa'asuamaleaui a late withdrawal due to the impending birth of his second child, before Jaimin Jolliffe spilled his first carry at the kick-off.
Jolliffe made amends to score the opening try, and the Titans charged to a 20-12 halftime lead before Beau Fermor's second-half double and a barnstorming run by David Fifita sealed a much-needed win.
"I feel like the last few weeks we've been sort of working towards a performance like that," Titans coach Justin Holbrook said.
"But we had to put it together and we did that tonight.
"Really happy ... we want to keep doing that now for the next three weeks."
The Titans take on St George Illawarra next weekend while Manly host the in-form Cronulla.
Australian Associated Press
