BRYCE Cartwright is copping it from all directions after a shocking non tackle became the latest black spot on a poor season but Titans coach Garth Brennan has vowed to stick by his under-fire player.

Mark Carroll and Michael Ennis have led the criticism of the big money 23-year-old over the last week but Brennan said the back-rower was not facing the axe and pleaded for the commentary to be toned down for welfare reasons.

“My concern is for him,” Brennan told Fairfax Media on Sunday. “He seems to be dealing with things at the moment. But people can only take so much.

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Round 20

“It’s probably about time people back off. He’s out of form, I accept that, he accepts that. But you can go too far with young players sometimes.”

Cartwright last week copped a fierce spray from Fox League’s Michael Ennis, who said on Big League Wrap that the Titans’ off-season recruit was “taking the piss”.

With all eyes on him it was a bad time for Cartwright to put a non-effort into a tackle on the last line of defence as Cameron Munster strolled in for a crucial try untouched.

Cue more criticism, led by league legend Mark Carroll, who described the effort as “embarrassing”.

While Brennan was disappointed with the play he said there were other players who could have done more to stop the points being scored.

“He could have made a better effort on that tackle, no doubt, but [Titans fullback] Michael Gordon could have as well,” Brennan argued.

“People are making a lot of it because it was Bryce. He’s been creating a lot of headlines for the last 18 months.

“At the end of the day, he’s a 23-year-old kid with a lot of pressure being put on him that is unnecessary.

“There are players on more money at other clubs who aren’t copping what he is. The amount of scrutiny the poor kid has been under ... people have got to realise it may become a welfare issue, to be honest.

“If you keep kicking a dog when he’s down he’s just going to cower, not grow in confidence. Everyone just needs to lay off him.”