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Jamayne Isaako will join the Titans, effective immediately after being released by Brisbane.
Isaako is already locked into a three-yar contract with new NRL club the Dolphins from 2023 so this deal would just be for the remainder of 2022.
The Eels had been trying to sign him for weeks but the Gold Coast have snuck under their guard.
“Jamayne is experienced at NRL level and has played on the international stage,” Titans coach Justin Holbrook said. “He adds great depth to our outside backs and provides us with coverage across both the fullback and wing positions.
“We’ve got strong competition across a number of positions and adding Jamayne gives us another exciting option to choose from in our backline. We had kept a spot on our roster open and we’re thrilled that we are now able to add Jamayne to our team. With a number of talented young backline players on our roster, Jamayne will no doubt be able to help with their development during his time with the Titans.”
The Broncos released a statement to say they were “happy to facilitate the request and wish Jamayne and his young family all the best in the future, both on and off the field”.
George Burgess could still be free to run out in the NRL for St George Illawarra on Thursday night despite facing a charge of sexual touching without consent.
The Dragons have named Burgess outside of their 17 but he remains in an extended 24-man squad to take on Cronulla as both the club and the NRL await further details from police.
It comes as the NRL weighs up whether to use discretionary powers to invoke a no-fault stand-down policy on the 29-year-old after he was charged on Monday.
“The Dragons are yet to receive the necessary and required information pertaining to the Burgess matter and therefore cannot come to a decision on the player’s availability for Round 3,” the Dragons said in a statement.
“The NRL’s stringent team selection process requires the Dragons to select a 24-man squad on Tuesday afternoon. “The Dragons will continue to work closely with all relevant parties, including the NRL integrity unit and police, to determine the next steps surrounding this matter.”
Burgess was arrested following a complaint made by a woman about an alleged incident on March 8. He has been granted bail and will face court on April 13.
Under NRL rules, players who are charged with an offence that carries a jail term of more than 11 years are automatically stood down from the competition. Burgess’ charge does not fit that threshold.
NRL bosses, however, still have the discretionary power to stand the prop down with the policy implemented in 2018 applying to players involved in allegations against women or children.
“Once we have reviewed all the facts we will make a decision on whether we will invoke the no-fault stand-down policy,” NRL chief executive said Andrew Abdo said on Tuesday.
“Before we pass judgment or even provide opinion on a matter like this, I think it is very important you understand exactly what has happened as much as you can. Obviously this is a matter that has been charged by police and we need to review the charge sheet.
“Typically what we do in criminal matters is allow natural justice and the criminal process to unfold. Whether or not we invoke the no-fault stand down policy we will need to carefully consider.”
Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould said the bunker was right to award a contentious try to Brisbane which cost Canterbury victory on Sunday night but added that if consistency was applied, the “farce” of a rule about decoy runners should have meant the try was disallowed.
Gould slammed the NRL officiating over its rule which decrees that decoy runners cannot make contact with a defender if they are on their outside shoulder.
Brisbane’s Herbie Farnworth scored a crucial try in the 16-10 victory when teammate Corey Oates brushed by Braidon Burns’ outside shoulder and the Canterbury centre was unable to get across in cover to stop the four-pointer.
Gould said it’s “the most ridiculous rule in rugby league”.
“I think it’s a try but I’ve been arguing that for the last 15 years. It’s everybody else who’s been arguing that this is a no-try and every time they have that, they rule it a no-try. If they’re going to be consistent that that’s a try, I’m happy with it but it’s totally inconsistent with the rule they’ve had in recent years,” he said on 100% Footy.
“At the end of the day, I believe that’s a try. I believe the defence put itself where it wanted to, the decoy runner did its job, they created space for the fast man on the outside and he ran around our defence and scored a try. I think that’s what decoy runners are meant to do.
“This outside-shoulder, inside-shoulder rubbish is ridiculous.
“The difference is that every time that has occurred in the last 10 years – and I’ve blown up about it every time it’s occurred – they’ve ruled it no try. Why did they rule it a try last night if they’ve ruled it no try every other time? I don’t know.”
Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett complained about the decision in the post-match media conference and NRL head of football Graham Annesley declared on Monday that bunker officials had discretionary powers to make rulings and that was what occurred on this occasion.
Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon has denied claims his team was out to get Eels playmaker Mitch Moses in Saturday’s thrilling win at Shark Park.
Sharks forward Teig Wilton has been suspended from Thursday’s date with the Dragons in Wollongong after being charged with dangerous contact for tackling Moses mid-air after a kick.
The Eels thought the Sharks had targeted their halfback and contacted NRL head of football Graham Annesley to express their anger. Annesley warned players on Monday that they need to show caution when pressuring a kicker or there would be consequences for their actions.
“It wouldn’t have mattered if it was Mitchell Moses, Dylan Brown, Reed Mahoney. Whoever was going to kick the ball we wanted to put maximum pressure on the kickers and hopefully get them to have a poor kick. We got it wrong on that occasion with Teig Wilton. He got his timing wrong,” Fitzgibbon said on 100% Footy.
“But our intent was definitely not to take Mitchell out of the game; it was just to put him under pressure.
“He’s such a wonderful player and such an important part of their team and their primary kicker. So, we obviously didn’t want to give, particularly in the first half down their end, Mitchell Moses a free rein with his kicking game, because it would be a long afternoon for us.
“You can’t attack the legs of the kicker. It’s pretty clear. It shouldn’t be in the game and on that occasion we got that one wrong. We need to get better at that, we need to be able to pressure the kicker safely.
“It’s not part of the game. I don’t think anyone wants to see that. You run a risk of losing your own players if you go out there to maim people, so that wasn’t the case.”
The NRL has launched the game’s inaugural Multicultural Round, celebrating the different cultures which make up the rugby league community.
Round 3 of the NRL and Round 5 of the NRLW will be the first Multicultural Round which joins other themed rounds celebrated annually by the NRL.
The theme is “Stronger Together” celebrating how league brings diverse communities and cultures together.
The NRL and NRLW playing group is made up of diverse family backgrounds, including
– 161 NRL Players have who have a parent born overseas
– 77 NRL Players who are born overseas
– 35 NRLW players have a parent born overseas
– 34 NRLW Players are born overseas
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