NRL: Titans coach comes out swinging after big loss to Eels

The Eels celebrate the try scored by Will Smith. Photo / Getty

Gold Coast coach Neil Henry has come out swinging against his critics following his side's 30-8 NRL loss to Parramatta on Thursday night.

Henry launched an impassioned defence of halves Ash Taylor and Kane Elgey who are were this week reported to have to threatened to walk out on the club unless he was sacked.

Henry is under fire after his side conceded 152 points over the course of the last four games and suffered their fifth loss in a row.

Henry's tenure has come into question after publicly falling out with fullback Jarryd Hayne - who missed the clash with his old side because of an ankle injury.

He said criticism of the club had been relentless and maintained the story about his young halves had been fabricated.

"I tried to settle them down, Kane was really upset when the back page came out. He's said 'where's that come from?' He addressed that," Henry said."

Ash Taylor said the same thing. You can fabricate a story, have no decent quotes in it, you can run it back page.

"You can throw it out there and it's my integrity, my character, my image. It's two young halves and you've put them out there for something you've got nothing in there that validates that headline."

The Eels provisionally moved into fourth spot with the victory in front of 6826 at ANZ Stadium.

The Titans' week from hell got even worse when centre John Olive was taken from the field in the seventh minute with a dislocated elbow and did not return.

Coach Brad Arthur does have a concern over fullback Bevan French, who left the field five minutes before halftime with what appeared to be a recurrence of a hamstring problem that kept him out last week.Arthur insisted it was a precautionary measure and he would be fit to play against Brisbane next week.

The Eels were unlucky not to win by more after bombing several opportunities - including Kirisome Auva'a breaking the line and throwing the ball over the top of three teammates who were in a position to score.

However the Eels couldn't curse the bunker after the Titans were on the end of a refereeing howler when Semi Radradra ran 90 metres to cross and was awarded a four-pointer despite appearing to knock on several times as he scooped up the ball.

"It would have been nice if we displayed that defensive resolve (in last week's loss to Newcastle) too but I was really happy with the boys' effort tonight," Arthur said.