Dogged determination the key as Titans prepare for unbeaten Sharks

Titans prop Shannon Mato has credited a return of the "junkyard dog" mentality for turning around the team's recent form as the 2023 grand finalists prepare to take on unbeaten Cronulla.

The Gold Coast side leaned into that mindset last season and it took them all the way to the grand final, but in the opening round of this year's NRLW they seemed to have lost this tough mentality - and it has showed on the field.

However, the Titans grew some teeth in last week’s 26-6 win over the Roosters and they are now focused on repeating the effort against the top-of-the-table Sharks at Cbus Super Stadium on Stadium.

“We really focused on what we can control when we regrouped and we said that we need to stay on the same page and I think that came back with a lot of accountability, both individually and as a collective,” Mato said.

“We took that all as one the staff, the players, everyone that was involved in what we do, we took accountability and then we left that there and we moved forward.

“It felt like it definitely felt like a team effort and it showed out there.

“The score actually shows the unity that we have out there, and I think that was a bit missing throughout the last couple of weeks.

I'm glad that we were able to show what we're about and that's that junkyard dog.

“It was definitely a great feeling to get that win, we had that on our mind, and we said it's a great opportunity to bounce back and I think we took that opportunity with two hands.”

Mato claimed her second consecutive Titans player of the year honours in 2023, as well as being named in the Dally M team of the year, and she has again been a shining light for Gold Coast, regularly topping the metres run in all her games.

Currently sitting in third place for metres made behind outside backs Julia Robinson and teammate Evania Pelite, Mato has been leading by example out in the middle, but said her main focus was to ensure we was doing all she could to help her team.

She also has plenty of inspiration and motivation to perform, with Mato saying the recent elevation of coach Karyn Murphy into the NRL Hall of Fame had also forced the players to take more personal accountability and perform better for their leader.

“I think my [main goal] is just giving confidence to my players outside of me and I think if I lead from the front and the rest will follow," Mato said.

"I really feed off my captain [Georgia Hale] and she gives me all that strength that I need. I never see her tired, so I don't have room to be tired. 

“Murph had come into the media and apologised on her end for our results the last couple of weeks, and I think taking that on board, we players were like, ‘man, we need to take accountability’.

"I think that starts from the top; she leads us and we follow and we've got her on our backs always.”