Just for fun, the Titans largely insipid showing to start their own campaign, after a round one bye, continued a bizarre record of Hasler’s own. His seventh first-up loss to start a season is the longest such streak by any coach in rugby league history. With the mercury pushing 35 degrees at kick-off, the Bulldogs took just one set to get into their groove while the Gold Coast floundered and Des Hasler left million-dollar forward David Fifita on the bench for 48 minutes. A sold-out, 17,892-crowd was in full voice as Canterbury’s dominance started with defence and the Titans being driven backwards in the opening few tackles of the game. The locals were louder still when Reed Mahoney charged down a desperate clearing kick at the end of the set. They were singing in the stands by the time some quick hands down the left put Marcelo Montoya over in the corner.