On Saturday night, two of the greatest rugby league teams in the world face off in a battle that will have everyone north of the Tweed foaming at the mouth.
In a rivalry that has almost become the standard for rugby league matches, my father claimed, “If only the Cowboys and Broncos could play every week, you’d never get bored of the footy”.
He’s not a Queenslander, he’s been a Roosters supporter for the last 50 years. We live in the middle of the NSW coastline. And even now, there is no doubt, Queensland has no flaws in rugby league.
Enter the Titans.
Why? It doesn’t make any sense to me. For the last ten years, Queensland has been the pinnacle of Australian rugby league. Nine series wins in State of Origin, the Broncos and the Cowboys have both won a premiership apiece and competed in eight and seven of the last ten finals series respectively.
Even the majority Queensland side, Melbourne, have won three premierships and competed in nine of ten finals series, the only one they missed was in 2010 after they weren’t allowed to get any points. Even then they would have finished fifth.
The Titans have made just two finals series out of a possible nine, and have claimed one wooden spoon.
For the most talented area of rugby league in the world, the Titans are a sorry bunch. They are often forgotten. Long gone are the days when they fell short one game of the 2010 grand final, when they made consecutive top four finishes.
I don’t have the answers to their woes. I don’t think anyone cares. The amount of times I have seen fans outright call on the NRL to just get rid of them and add another Sydney team is incredible.
So now, we enter 2016. The Titans have been the surprise packets of the season. Wooden spoon favourites are now in the logjam that is the middle of the NRL table.
Nathan Peats has signed on, and could be the buy of the season. The guy’s one of the in-form hookers in the comp. Ashley Taylor is firming up as the rookie of the year favourite, an honour he deserves, and every player is making the small percentage plays that belted a star-studded Roosters side on Monday night.
If the Titans take down the Panthers on Sunday, perhaps it’s time for Gold Coast fans to begin dreaming of their first finals appearance in six years.
And maybe then the Titans will be remembered, because god knows they need it.
Josh
Roar Rookie
The DCE signing was banking more on his image and recruitment power. In hindsight, It looks to be working for them, but it does make you wonder how memberships and crowds would be given the drawing power a player of his calibre has. Seing DCE and Manly playing poor footy makes me happy. I'm not a fan of him after his backflip, but there can be no doubt at the time he seemed the best option for the Titans.
Scott
Guest
Not getting DCE is the best thing that could have happened to the Titans. He is over rated for the money which he receives and I believe the three young halves they have (including Elgey) will develop very nicely over the next few years.
Scott
Guest
So the fact that we live in a part of the world with things to do means that an NRL team can't survive? If a Gold Coast team wins the supporters follow, realistically given the lack of history this is understandable. North Sydney are mentioned because they own Tweed Seagulls and desperately want to remain relevant within Rugby League (which is fair enough as they got shafted with the Chargers in the NRL / Super League merger) with the references to Giants / Seagulls not being relevant given they weren't really Gold Coast teams. I live close to the middle of the Gold Coast geographically (if you take Pimpama to Coolangatta) and I have travelled to Tweed Heads about 90% less than I have travelled to Brisbane in the past five years. In addition you need to take into account how awful Seagulls was to get out of after a game (more than 3 hours after the greatest Rugby League match ever in 1988 when the Bronco's lost to the Giants). They are playing good football which means the fair weather friends will come on board to support them with the true fans. In relation to some of the previous players I think it is safe to say that David Taylor and Indris were two of the most disappointing recruits any club could get.
Big J
Guest
That's is not true Steve, there is no seperate rule for qlders in the nrl (well actually there is/was do allow a qld regional team to win the title) thankfully that has gone at the window. The reason that the nrl Is so highly promoted up here (so you say) is because it the only game we care about and it's the only game we can succeed at outside of Brisbane. He my point, besides the Cowboys no national qld team outside of Brisbane has ever won a title. Basketball has in one team the townsville crocs and the women's team McCafe Fire the crocs have never won a title and have been hanging on by a thread for years now. The fire have gone to two grand finals but lost both. Soccer the nqld fury last only a couple of years and was a disaster Afl one team the Suns and they are a long way off any success plus no one really cares about them. Union no team outside of Brisbane Cricket - it took 66 bloody years to win a Sheffield sheild and I not sure how many one day titles we have (if any) League is the only game that the whole state can enjoy and succed at.and probably the first we did succeed at on a national level. And it's a well know fact that we only support a winning side. Point and case look at the Brisbane Lions they had the whole state behind them from 02 to 04 but the second they lost qld stop caring. It's not that nrl promote more up here it's the only game with can succeed at a national level.
Wow
Guest
Our young stars are players who weren't instant successes like you say and probably only Thurston and Granville would be as successful at a different club. Tamololo took years of hard work to develop his game but people quickly forget that, I'm just glad that he hasn't. The toll the extra travel takes is underestimated by the NRL and most it's fans. It's no surprise the Warriors and Cowboys have struggled at different points in their history. And the extra expenses that Sydney clubs don't face never even warrants a mention. The Cowboys should be very proud of what they have done. Now it's the Titans turn to rise. Elgey and Taylor as halves now Peats at hooker so anything is possible.
Josh
Roar Rookie
clubs always have to pay players overs when times are tough. Times aren't tough for the Cowboys anymore, player would go and take unders to get a whiff of a premiership, and there is no doubt they can't do that at the cowboys. They would have alot wrapped in their spine after re-signings, which Coote and Thurston commanding almost 1.8 mil combined, but I wouldn't think they would be over, they'd be pushing it, but the best cluvs always do.
Josh
Roar Rookie
I am thinking more of Players who leave while still contracted and as a result still get paid by their old club. The Titans are still paying roughly half the wage for Dave Taylor, and Albert Kelly. While last year players like Maurice Blair and Ashley Harrison and Luke Bailey (who were retired at this point) were still getting wages paid out of the salary cap. It's a complicated system and teams like the Titans, Knight, Tiger ect don't seem to have the geniuses to run it properly.
Josh
Roar Rookie
Coming from a club administrative background, i can guarantee you when a club refuses to show the governing body it's salary books, there is something fishy going on. And it isn't a trend that has started recently either. if they re-sign Gillett, surely then you have to question the legitimacy of their salary cap. It's common sense really.
Josh
Roar Rookie
I know it is changing, but their is still alot left on the Gold Coast that is reminiscent of that era. Too many distraction to place over sports, especially when your team isn't performing. it's a bit of a shame really.
Josh
Roar Rookie
I have a little thing for them. I like their Style, they work hard and reap the rewards, no flair, no showponying, Its hard, gritty, grinding, old school football. but I think it is good for the NRL if the Titans succeed. I think they are flying under the radar, and a defeat of a Penrith side that is no easy beat could spark them into battle mode. Taylor is a superstar in the making and Peats would only make them stronger. I think they'll slip in, most likely in 7th or 8th. they can go anywhere from there. They're the kind of team I could see winning all 4 consecutive finals matches with the expectation of nobody on their shoulders. As i said, i'm not a diehard fan, but I root for the underdog, and as i said, a win this week could be the catalyst for a Gold Coast top 8 finish.
Jarrod Free
Roar Rookie
Any chance you are a Titans fan, Josh? :P
jimmmy
Guest
Thanks Wow, you saved me writing a more detailed response. We have won one , yes one premiership in 20!years. Played in two grand finals in 20 years and now we must be rorting the cap because we are going well the year after winning a GF. Look at our stars . Morgan , local junior . Coote , a moderate fullback at Penrith before we got him. Taumalolo developed by us . Jake Granville a real second stringer at the Broncs before he came to us. Not sure what clubs these guys support but whoever worked out what Cherry Evans, Nate Miles , Anthony Whatmough etc would be paid should be shot. The recruitment of some clubs makes me laugh. The Cows will not do that now. We tried that stuff years ago for no result .
Agent11
Guest
There is a lot of misinformed opinions about the gold coast. It is a much different place to what it was in the 80s and 90s. Lots of new development and infrastructure since then and I'm not talking about towers looking over the beach but housing estates, schools, and other community developments. More and more families are moving to the Gold coast and commute to Brisbane for work. Surfers paradise is just a small area of the coast and is not where the Titans, nor the Suns are trying to grow their fanbase.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Mate, you've gotta stop getting your facts from the daily telegraphs comments section
Josh
Roar Rookie
I don't they are all cursed, but no team on the Gold Coast has ever been given enough time to flourish. No team has stayed on the Gold Coast for more than 10 years. It's a cash in. Consortiums see it as a quick-cash market, where they can make a quick buck and leave the club to die. The Titans are a good example of this. Give them another 5 years and they'll begin to flourish. i dont think the Titans prioritised recruitment, but they needed stars to get going, and DCE is as big a name in Queensland as any, He could really have saved the Titans.
Josh
Roar Rookie
No, Newcastle and the Tigers are struggling because they don't know how to effectively operate the salary cap. The waste too much money on players who are playing for other clubs when released early. Don't be blind. Brisbane have been over the salary cap for years now. The fact that the NRL can't get anywhere near their books is the greatest evidence of that. all that adds up. When you consider they are still paying more that half of Copley's contract at the Roosters + the estimated 450k Roberts is on there, it's difficult to argue that they aren't. Thats why Gillet will most likely have to leave. resigning him would only strengthen the NRL's resolve to get into their books and find out what is truly going on.
Wow
Guest
There's a difference between knowing how to use the cap 'properly' and being capable of doing it. The Titans, Raiders, Tigers and Knights can't manipulate the cap the way the Roosters and Broncos can. The most mismanaged cap in the Comp is the Bulldogs because there capable of competing with those sides but choose to pay some useless forwards and josh r more than they are worth. The best thing to happen to the Titans was missing DCE. Manly must be kicking themselves they signed him to that deal. We will see the Titans become a regular fixture in the next few years because they are doing the smart thing in building the side around young quality players in key positions. With Elgey back their spine is only lacking at fullback but they will bring another young star in who doesn't break the bank.
Wow
Guest
You seriously think a side containing Linnett, winterstein, onneil, feldt, hannant, kafusi, Bolton and Asiata is over the cap? Thats half there starting side who wont be attracting much more money than they are already on. Those players I mentioned aren't bad players but they aren't worth much money. Hannant wasn't wanted by any clubs and it was only the Cowboys who threw them a life line. There hard workers playing along side some great players. I agree the Broncos are completely stacked but I'm questioning your knowledge of the game if you believe the Cowboys are.
Emcie
Roar Guru
The reasons the titans struggle for consistent success are many and varied (dodgy business dealings, questionable signings, a focus on recruitment over junior footy, the GFC, DCE, global warming, being situated too close to NSW, the surf is good, drugs, schoolies) but basically it boils down to the fact that all sports teams on the Gold Coast are cursed
Emcie
Roar Guru
How on earth does signing Roberts put the broncos definitely over the cap?? They lost 10 players over the off season (including the retirement of hodges which would free up more cash then Roberts is on by a fair margin) and signed one. And if you think Newcastle and the tigers are struggling because of salary cap constraints you've got your head in the sand.