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The aging Gold Coast Titans have not fared well this year. But thanks to some smart recruiting, their line-up has been revitalised for next season. Remember the Titans? They almost made it to last year’s Grand Final.
This year however, they sit at 15 on the NRL ladder, just one spot below the Roosters (the team that beat them in the semis).
As they try to bring some younger players into the NRL fold, they’ve knocked up just 3 wins and 7 hard-fought losses this season. While the older generation is on the way out, and the new generation is on the way in, naturally, it can be a shaky time for a club. Especially so, when injuries take their toll.
Departing players include the Titans first 100-gamer, hooker Nathan Friend, who’s heading to the NZ Warriors. Also absent next season will be Anthony Laffranchi who signed with St Helens, and Brad Meyers’ who retired due to a niggling wrist injury.
But next year is looking up. In fact the next several years are looking good for Gold Coast, with some important signatures ensuring the side remains competitive in the quest for their first NRL Premiership.
Just a few days ago Roosters prop Nate Myles signed on with the Titans for four years. It is a massive loss to the Roosters who have looked to the 25-year-old as a leader in the playing group. Selected again in the Queensland Origin side, he is just one of many State of Origin players the Titans will have in their ranks next season.
Existing Titan Ashley Harrison has played alongside Myles in maroon colours before. Greg Bird is also a five-time NSW Origin starter. Former NSW Origin stalwart Luke Bailey confirmed his intentions to remain in sunny Queensland earlier this month too, re-signing with the club for another two years.
The Titans also snared another NSW Origin star in their recent flurry of signings; big Canterbury Bulldogs centre and growing cult-hero Jamal Idris.
Idris signed with the team for a whopping five years. Should his outstanding form in the NRL continue, at just 20 years of age, he could cement his place as one of the Titans most valuable players ever.
Another talented centre Beau Champion has similarly signed with the Titans, but on a three year contract. The try-scoring machine was left out in the cold during Souths’ recruitment of Greg Inglis, which saw Champion exchanged to the Melbourne Storm this year. His representative games for City Origin (coached by John Cartwright) and the Indigenous All Stars (which featured Titans Prince, Bird, Campbell, James and now Idris) will make the Sydney-born recruit feel right at home on the Gold Coast.
In the forwards, Gold Coast should be delighted with the acquisition of Cronulla Shark prop Luke Douglas for the next three years. Douglas was the 18th man for NSW in last year’s Origin series, and has shown consistent form for the resurgent Sharks this year.
Despite all these signings, younger, home-grown Queensland talent hasn’t been ignored either.
Ipswich local and Toyota Cup Player of the Year, Matt Srama, has been making waves in the Gold Coast’s youth side and is being primed as the replacement for Nathan Friend next year. Recently, he was also re-signed to the club on a three-year contract.
With Srama, Idris, Champion, and Douglas joining current Titans, William Zillman, David Mead, Ryan James, and Kevin Gordon (who will be returning from his season-ending knee injury), together these youngsters should make for some scintillating rugby league.
Combined with the experience of Bailey, Prince, Harrison, Campbell, and newest addition Myles, it sets the premise for one hell of a Gold Coast team in 2012.
They might even get that elusive first Premiership.
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