Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'Poor KP, he's not the world's worst person': Titans coach weighs in on Proctor's vape axing

(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook has dismissed the suggestion his struggling NRL club has a poor off-field culture but admits Kevin Proctor’s halftime vape was a bad look.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Titans immediately cut all ties with Proctor on Monday after a now-deleted Instagram story on the forward’s own page showed the veteran vaping during his team’s loss to Canterbury at CommBank Stadium.

The video was uploaded with the caption “not the halftime vape”, with Proctor inhaling and then shaking his head with the Titans down 26-10 at the time.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

It’s a sad end to Proctor’s troubled stint at the Titans, whom he joined in 2017 as a big-name signing after a successful spell with Melbourne.

Proctor was axed as the club co-captain less than a year later after a cocaine scandal while in a New Zealand Test camp in Canberra, and received a four-game ban in 2020 for biting former Kiwis teammate Shaun Johnson.

Off-contract at season’s end, the 33-year-old was already set to depart the Titans but that decision was brought forward in the wake of the video emerging.

“Poor KP, he’s not the world’s worst person. He’s a decent guy but it’s just a really dumb thing and gave us no choice but to obviously finish him up,” Holbrook said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Last weekend’s loss to the Bulldogs was the Titans’ eighth in a row, with only for-and-against keeping the club ahead of Wests Tigers and off the bottom of the ladder.

Holbrook said that situation only exacerbated the unacceptable aspect of Proctor’s actions.

“It’s a terrible look given where we sit the table,” Holbrook said.

“People at every club are going to make poor decisions but it highlights the fact when you’re not having a good year, that’s for sure. It’s not good.”

Related

Proctor’s indiscretion, given his status as a senior player within the squad, has raised concerns about the club’s culture but Holbrook was adamant this was an isolated incident and not reflective of a wider issue.

ADVERTISEMENT

“You’ve got to react as quick as you can to a bad situation and put a stop to it and that’s what we’ve done but as an overall club … the nucleus of this side is really committed to the club doing well,” he said.

“No-one’s happy where we’re sitting and an unfortunate action like that, as I said, highlights it and doesn’t do us any favours, that’s for sure.”

Holbrook said he hadn’t spoken to Proctor yet but would be remind players of their off-field responsibilities.

“I didn’t have everyone here at once today, but yeah, everyone knows what’s expected of them,” he said.

“You’re going to get more scrutinised … a good example, if you’re seen laughing and that where we sit, we look disrespectful.

“If Penrith do it, it’s funny because they’re winning and that’s fact.

“So we’re going to accept that and be a little more careful on how we conduct ourselves.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING ‘It’s about his career’: Why NRL star Payne Haas could jump codes ‘It’s about his career’: Why NRL star Payne Haas could jump codes
Search