The Gold Coast Titans sit stone dead last on the NRL ladder with four wins to their name and a coach potentially to be on the scrap heap in a few months time, but captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui isn't giving up on what appears a lost cause yet.
The Titans suffered their 11th loss in 15 starts on Sunday afternoon in another disappointing display against the North Queensland Cowboys.
The loss saw the Titans concede another 30 points, rubber-stamping their status as one of the NRL's worst defensive outfits, and keeping them pinned to the bottom of the NRL ladder.
They only have a single bye left over the final ten rounds of the season, and with nine games to play, will have to go on a screaming run to make the finals.
It's likely, based on the mark to play finals in previous seasons, that the Titans would need to win at least eight, or maybe even all nine, of their remaining nine games to qualify for the top eight.
Fa'asualeaui though said there was still time, and that if any team could turn it around, it was his side.
"Obviously, it's a tough time here at the club and we're all feeling it," Fa'asuamaleaui said in the press conference on Sunday evening.
"We still have enough time (to make the finals).
"We just have to stick together and regroup and make sure we are coming in to the bye with the right attitude and really start turning the season around.
"If anyone in the comp can do it, we can. We have the team to do it.
"I believe in every single one of them, the coaching staff. We just have to stick together."
The Titans are a club in turmoil, with coach Des Hasler reportedly having contract clauses that mean anything less than a top eight appearance will see his departure at the end of 2025.
The side who look more likely to be wooden spooners then finalists at the end of the campaign have a bye next weekend, then play the Brisbane Broncos (home), Wests Tigers (away - Leichhardt), New Zealand Warriors (away), Penrith Panthers (home), South Sydney Rabbitohs (home), Cronulla Sharks (away), New Zealand Warriors (home), The Dolphins (away - Brisbane) and Wests Tigers again (home) on the run home.
