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Canberra halfback Jamal Fogarty has urged Gold Coast fans to get behind his former understudy Toby Sexton despite the Titans' NRL struggles.
Despite sending his former club to the bottom of the NRL ladder, Canberra halfback Jamal Fogarty believes Gold Coast have got a superstar playmaker in former understudy Toby Sexton.
The Titans' decision to let Fogarty join the Raiders and hand the keys to their 2022 season to youngster Sexton has been widely panned as the Queenslanders have endured a horror campaign with just three wins from 19 matches so far.
Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook has since admitted in hindsight it was an error to release the 28-year-old, who set up a try and scored eight points off the boot as the Raiders notched a 36-24 win at CBUS Super Stadium on Saturday.
That loss - the Titans' ninth in a row - and Wests Tigers' upset of Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium means Gold Coast are now propping up the competition and staring down the barrel of a second wooden spoon in the last four seasons.
Fogarty insists there's no bad blood between him and the Titans and he firmly believes Sexton has the attributes to become a leading NRL No.7.
"I just hope all the Gold Coast supporters give Tobes a bit of time and give him a bit of love and credit," Fogarty said.
"He's had two years where it's been COVID, he's come straight out of school, hasn't played any footy. Obviously, it's got to be tough for him to play a whole season at halfback but I just hope the community here gets behind him, shows him a bit of love and give him a bit of confidence.
"He's going to be a 10-12 year player for the club and play 200 games for them.
"I hope to see him be a leader of the club in 10 years time. That'd be my message to all the Titans supporters."
A late bloomer who only found his way into regular NRL football in 2020, Fogarty said he had no desire to go back to reserve grade and was grateful for the move to the nation's capital once it became clear Sexton would be the Titans' first-choice in 2022.
"Once they said Toby was ready to take over, it's like sweet, where's the best option for me to keep playing and obviously the Raiders come up and to be honest I'm just grateful that I still get to play this awesome game," he said.
"I'm not bitter towards the club or towards any of the players ... I didn't want to have two years here and kind of go back to the Queensland Cup.
"I just had to look after myself first."
