As bad as it was, Gold Coast forward Jarrod Wallace knows it can get worse.
The Queensland Origin prop only needs to look ahead to this weekend’s opponents Brisbane to recall a scenario more embarrassing than the 54-8 flogging at the hands of St George Illawarra on Sunday.
The Titans were thrashed 54-0 by the Broncos late last year and Wallace knows unless the side’s fragile defence improves there could be a repeat on Easter Sunday at Suncorp Stadium.
The Dragons ran in nine tries in posting their biggest score in more than 10 years, with halves Gareth Widdop and Ben Hunt running rampant.
Gold Coast missed 45 tackles across the 80 minutes in a continuation of the defensive problems encountered in the first two games under rookie NRL coach Garth Brennan.
“There’s been a couple from last year that were probably a bit worse (but that was) embarrassing for us, for fans and coaching staff to put something like that on,” Wallace said of their showing in Toowoomba.
“We were terrible, they were good … they picked out little weaknesses we had there that we didn’t think we had.
“That (loss to Brisbane) was a pretty embarrassing game as well, pretty much like tonight and we need to make sure we don’t do that again.”
Wallace returned from a three-game suspension on Sunday that carried over from last year and said he would make a point of setting the tone against the Broncos now that he had dusted off the cobwebs.
“Not so much as an Origin player, more just a senior player,” he said when asked of his leadership responsibilities at the Titans.
“I need to make sure I’m the leading front-rower every week, make sure if Jai Arrow or Morgan Boyle are playing well I’m playing better.”