The contrast with the Warriors' numbers couldn't have been more telling.
In a week when they have two trials - this one and Wednesday night's clash against Wigan - plus the NRL Auckland Nines, Elliott has faced a brain teaser putting squads together for the three missions.
The upshot was the Warriors fielded perhaps the least-experienced group of players in the club's history.
The side's elder statesmen were 22-year-old Konrad Hurrell with a modest 37 NRL appearances and 24-year-old Sione Lousi with 31 - and the latter, the captain for the day, was having his first outing in a year.
The only other players with NRL experience were Dominique Peyroux (28 games), Glen Fisiiahi (19), Ngani Laumape (14), Sebastine Ikahihifo (12), Suaia Matagi (11), Carlos Tuimavave (8) and Charlie Gubb (1). The oldest player was 25-year-old Peyroux.
Alongside these seasoned performers was an array of the club's younger set plus players plucked out of club football.
The Titans began well and dominated the second stanza - as they arguably should have - in scoring 18 unanswered points against such under-qualified opposition.
The match was only two minutes old when they opened the scoring. Benefiting from an early defensive penalty, the repeat set led to a soft try as hooker Paul Carter was allowed to run almost unchallenged to score from dummy half. Fai Fai Loa's conversion attempt was astray despite being adjacent to the left-hand upright.
Handling errors and successive penalties gave the Titans more territory and three successive sets in possession but the Warriors showed defensive grit to deny them.
Another error threatened to present Gold Coast with a shot at more points - only they returned serve by turning the ball over and the fleet-footed Lolohea did the rest cruising 50 metres to score. Mason Lino's splendid conversion from wide out took the Warriors to a 6-4 lead after 10 minutes.
It perked them up.
From the restart they drew a penalty early in the count and quickly profited as Solomone Kata's sweet flat ball out of dummy half opened up the Gold Coast defence to give Sebastine Ikahihifo a try between the posts, presenting Lino with a simple conversion to push the lead out to 12-4.
After holding that edge at the much-needed 20-minute drinks break on such a steaming hot day, the Warriors exploded from the restart, Lolohea carving up the middle and scorching 50 metres again to score. With Lino's conversion, the Warriors were 18-4 ahead.
The good work was quickly undone, though, when there was hesitation as a bomb was allowed to bounce and right winger Tighe had a gift try. Fai Fai Loa was on target from well out, making it 18-10 after 27 minutes.
The damage for the Warriors was magnified minutes later when halfback Albert Kelly was able to step his way through from close range with far too much ease, Fai Fai Loa's conversion bringing the score-line back to 16-18.
A third try was seemingly imminent as Gold Coast enjoyed a glut of possession inside the Warriors' red zone but the home side defended well to resist and go to halftime 18-16 ahead.
Problems under the high ball again cost the Warriors dearly in the opening minutes of the second term. A bomb aimed at the home side's left edge was spilled and a try presented to Blair. With Fai Fai Loa's conversion the Titans were back in front 22-18.
The Warriors went extra close to levelling up but Kata was penalised for a double movement when he crossed. At the other end they resisted Gold Coast's advances with some great scrambling defence for the third quarter to end with the Titans still four points ahead.
The final quarter proved defining.
It began poorly for the Warriors, possession lost in their own quarter and Gold Coast working the ball across the park to the left before comingall the way back to the extreme right to create a nice try for Fai Fai Loa. He couldn't convert but the Titans had a 26-18 edge.
With 10 minutes to go, they sealed the result with some slick play giving standoff Christian Hazard a try and Fai Fai Loa a simple conversion for a 32-18 lead before adding a third try for the quarter at the death.
Afterwards Elliott said the defeat wasn't unexpected given the gulf in experience between the two sides; indeed he conceded he had thought the match could end in a heavy loss.
The end result and particularly the effort sustained by the players, especially the younger ones and those brought in from local club sides, had left Elliott both enthused and impressed.
He made special mention of halfback Mason Lino's display, admired the job Lousi had done coming back from injury and also liked what he saw from a number of other players including Carlos Tuimavave and 19-year-old Jordan Baldwinson.
In the early game the Junior Warriors trounced Auckland Fox Memorial champions the Point Chevalier Pirates 72-18 in an NYC trial.
Warriors 18 (Tuimoala Lolohea 2, Sebastine Ikahihifo tries; Mason Lino 3 conversions).
Gold Coast Titans 36 (Paul Carter, Brad Tighe, Albert Kelly, Kalifa Fai Fai Loa, Maurice Blair, Christian Hazard, Matt Beddow tries; Kalifa Fai Fai Loa 4 conversions).
Halftime: 18-16 Vodafone Warriors.
