Give Your Thanks to the Gold Coast Titans

[hammer]

Although the season for the Gold Coast Titans is not officially over, our final aspirations are now gone, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Gold Coast Titans organisation for restoring my faith in rugby league.
I was an avid supporter (almost religiously) of rugby league as a child but I was very much disheartened by the Super League war and found it hard to support any team at all for the best part of 10 years.
Now my children are of an age that they love the sport, we as a family have thoroughly enjoyed the ride we have been on since the start of the year.
I remember with great fondness being with fellow members at the first game of the season against St George and getting tingles down the spine as the member's stand as one waved our flags for the first time.
Forget the great tries, the bruising tackles, that to me was the most memorable part of the season. The birth of our team.
The organisation oozes professionalism from the CEO down to the coaching staff and players. Its community-minded approach as been most impressive. The players have always been most accommodating of the juniors who idolise them and they played with relenting effort.
I look forward to 2008 as we mature as a footballing team and welcome the new players and supporters alike.
Thanks again Gold Coast Titans!!

[Coaster]

Season is not over, i have a 200 dollar bet on next week with 14 start, i wont be doing crap until they win that

[hammer]

I never said the season was over!

[Coaster]

I never said the season was over!

You asked me and the rest of the titans supporters to give them thanks, i told you i wouldn't be doing that until they finish the season, if you would like to wait 8 days, i will have no problem giving thanks but you should have waited until then.

Sorry i'm grouchy atm, don't take it personally, but really i hate losing, and i certainly don't like being asked to thank someone for it:cry:

[hammer]

Fine!

[Capital_Shark]

Massive of the Titans to go this far in their inaugural season. While I believe they let themselves down a bit tonight (no discredit to my mob) they've certainly proven a few 'experts' wrong who had them tipped for the spoon or just off. A very good first season building block.

Good luck next week, Coaster. Whats the odds on that bet?

[Coaster]

And the bet is against my brother, who was born on the Gold Coast in Southport Hospital, never been to Melbourne in his life, and is a Storm supporter over the Titans........


I should have tapped that head with a hammer when he was born

[Capital_Shark]

Straight 200, but i have 14 start.

Fook off CS im not talking to you tonight, or my wife my kids, hammer, anyone else

14 start isn't too shabby.

lol, sorry cheif. About time my team pissed someone else off other than their fans though. I'll give you a quote us Sharks fans know all too well:


There's always next year.

[Rage]

there isn't even a mathermatical chance of getting into the finals now is there? even if all the right teams lose...

hopefully the titans can still cause a major upset next round :D
it has been a great first season but its not over yet

[Super Cronk]

You know your seasons over when you start saying "we are a mathematical chance" lol. It sucks having to rely on other teams losing to determine weather or not you make it in.

[Poida]

You know your seasons over when you start saying "we are a mathematical chance" lol. It sucks having to rely on other teams losing to determine weather or not you make it in.

Tell me about it. Happened in 2005 playoffs for my team lol. I didnt want to go for the Eels but had to to keep us alive :(.

[DIEHARD]

I'm just going to warn everyone against taking this thread further off track.

This thread was posted by Hammer with great intent and spirit and we have seen certain trolls corrupt it.

I will be backtracking through this thread, deleting the garbage. Any further unwelcome contributions will result in further action.

[hammer]

Thanks Diehard! Some sanity at last...the intent of the thread is to acknowledge what a fantastic job the Titans have done in their first year (even though it is not over yet).
This time last year the players (except for a few) had never really met each other let alone have a basis for futre combinations and competing against sides with rich traditions and established styles of play.
To start a side from scratch is not an easy thing to do when you are playing in arguably the toughest rugby league competition in the world. What they have achieved in that context deserves some acknowledgement.
I acknowledge that some people maybe still raw from the reality of last night's game but life goes on.
Well done Titans!

[Titantones]

I would just like to add that this was the first year my son and I had become members of a NRL club, Being the Titans first year as well we feel that they have given us a great first season, better than we hoped for.
We have seen some great games and some note so great, but at the end of the day its all about enjoying something you love and having a good time,
and we did just that.

So on behalf of all who enjoyed their entertainment in their first season thank you for a fantastic first year Titans.

Cant wait until 2008

Regards
Titantones

[bigjim]

I, for one, will never question the effort or heart of the team.

They battled hard all season, and had a real shot at one point barring crippling team injuries.

In the end, their depth was challenged, but that doesn't detract from the effort of those players left on the field. It was simply awesome.

With a year's history under the belt, next year I'm confident the team will go one better and get a top eight finish.

For the rest of this season, as far as finals aspirations are concerned, I'm hopeful of either the Broncos or Cowboys making the finals.

After the Titans, any other Queensland team in the finals is a blessing.

Go Queenslander.

[Hoppy2007Dragons]

All i can say is what a great debut season, the titans players/admin/fans should be very proud and looking with great anticipation to the future.

[bigjim]

I'm so pleased I finally have a team here on the Gold Coast.

I use to follow the Broncos, and don't get me wrong, I still love to watch them play and win (except when the beat the Titans), but they were the only choice for Queenslanders back then. Didn't I get stick when I crossed over.

But really, I had absolutely no choice, it had to be the Titans forever. I now have a team I can follow with heart and soul.

In all my twenty years of following and enjoying the Broncos I never became a member once in that time. I'm now proud to say I'm a Foundation Member with the Titans. I'm so looking forward to the next twenty years, wearing the colours proudly, getting out to every home game and some away, and more than a few premierships I hope.

Thankyou guys for a great first season full of excitement and spectacle and a future full of football hope and anticipation.:clap: :clap:

[eelectrica]

Even though Parra is still my No. 1 team, I became a Titans season ticket holder because I knew the Gold Coast was the right place for expansion and felt the right thing to do was support the new team as best as possible.

Thanks to the Titans for providing the Gold Coast with a team we can all support and be proud of. Looking forward to renewing my season ticket and taking my place in our new state of the art stadium and supporting the Titans once again. Well all except for the one week the Parra comes to town :p

Thanks to Dave Gallop and the NRL for having faith and placing a team back here. I know their was plenty of pressure to add yet another NSW team, but I think everyone on the coast has vindicated the decision to make add the GC to the NRL.

[Titanium_BD1103]

From:www.theage.com.au/news/sport



Titans prove their critics wrong
August 30, 2007 - 6:19PM

It's hard to argue with Michael Searle's assessment that the rookie Gold Coast Titans have exceeded most expectations in their debut NRL season.

Up until a week ago, the new kids on the block were still in the mix to do what their critics said was impossible - make the finals in their first year.

They came up just short.

But according to managing director Searle, they proved the doomsayers wrong and have started a culture that will keep the club around for many years to come.

It was a rough ride which started even before they took the playing field with a bitter tug-of-war for the services of young Melbourne winger Steve Turner.

The Titans refusal to buckle showed that while they were newcomers to the scene they were not going to be easily pushed around.

It was an attitude they took onto the field and which shocked a number of top clubs, including defending premiers Brisbane, in their early games.

Turner was not the only tough player decision the Titans had to cope with.

Both Penrith forward Frank Puletua and dual Irish international Brian Carney bailed out on the club before a ball had been kicked in anger.

It wasn't the ideal start by any means.

During the season they battled the AFL for supporters, gave wild child Chris Walker a chance when nobody else would, and released Kiwi international Jake Webster from the last two years of his contract to take up a huge English offer and play in the centres instead of the wing.

When other clubs were sacking coaches, the Titans showed their appreciation to foundation coach John Cartwright by extending his contract from three to five years.

They weren't shown any favours with an introduction to the NRL with games against the Dragons, Sharks, Bulldogs, Panthers and Broncos - a start critics said they would never recover from.

On Sunday they drop the curtain on their first season against premiership hot shots Melbourne at Olympic Park, where the Storm have not lost all year.

They go there without inspirational forward leader Luke Bailey (broken hand) and with those same critics tipping they'll get towelled up by the Storm, yet very determined to prove the knockers wrong, again.

"We've probably exceeded most people's expectations, but probably didn't exceed our own," says Searle in an honest assessment of the club's lofty first year goals.

"We thought we were genuine finals contenders from day one with the side and coach we had.

"But what we went through this year has really built on the existing culture we had.

"People expected us to bounce back from the Dragons in round one but they also expected us to capitulate as well, which we didn't."

Searle said Cartwright had to take much of the credit for the club's success along with the club's administration team which he said had a "V-12 engine".

"I can't imagine working with any other coach to be honest because we were both new to it," said Searle.

"He was learning his trade and I was learning mine and we developed a really strong relationship which is really important between a managing director and a coach.

"That's why in the first year of a three year deal we extended it out to five years."

Searle said Cartwright had an aura about him and would end up a career coach.

"Because of the level he played and because of the people he was coached by he has a reputation that almost demands respect," Searle said.

"You know players will spill blood for him and at the end of the day, when it gets to the grind, it's more about wanting to play for your coach".

Searle did not hide from the fact the Titans needed to end their first year with a strong performance at Olympic Park where no visiting has been able to win this year.

"No doubt it's massive challenge for our club to go to Melbourne and win," he said.

"It's a big test for our club but we go there with nothing to lose but credibility which in rugby league is more important than anything else to be honest.

"I haven't allowed myself to dream of such a finish, but we'll see how it goes."

A win against the ladder leaders and premiership favourites would be a huge upset and could see them finish level on points with the eighth-placed team, but their poor for-and-against means their finals chances are minimal.

"I think we've all conceded our for-and-against would make it very difficult," said Searle.

"But just hearing people saying we can't win only fires the boys up, the thought that every one has dismissed them.

"They know and our coach knows it's important we finish the year off very well.

"You're remembered for lots of things and we want to make sure we're not remembered for a bad loss in Melbourne."

Source: AAP

[TITAN PETE]

I agree with a few of you guys as the TITANS has renewed my Passion for "The Greatest Game of ALL" & i had the joy of having my 8 year old son enjoy watching these guys become mine & his Hero's(huge Bull & Sideshow fans) .I also bought Foundation membership for the 2 of us & couldn't be happier with my investment:woot: .

I would also like to say a big thank you Carty & all the players for the never say die effort that was displayed throughout the year & hold your heads High as you have done the Gold Coast Proud well done boys:clap: .

The biggest thanks for me goes to Michael Searle without your persistant push for OUR team we would not even have this website to talk about the Team You have given us, so THANK YOU MICHAEL :clap: .

This year is not over yet but i'm a realist so i look forward to 08' in The Cage.......................

[Boonarga]

It's great to finally have a club to support again. I was a Wests fan since forever but became bitterly disillusioned with the game during super-league split.

I then tried to follow the merged Wests side but my heart wasn't in it. Tried to follow Souths who had always been my second team but once again, no passion.

When Gold Coast won their inclusion I decided that this was my new team. The displays on the field have been mostly brilliant for a debut season. What impresses me most about this club is the administration. The decisions that they are making have been perfect and make me proud to be a supporter. Particularly with the Chris Walker drama.

Unless Wests dissolve the merger and take up the Central Coast option I'll be a Titan for life.

[Queenslander]

It has been a great year for the Titans. It was our first year and there were many skeptics however we have all proved them wrong. I know the team will feel disappointed for not making the finals but as long as they know that we will be there week in - week out supporting them than I know they will feel better.

Congrats again to the Gold Coast Titans and bring on Titans 2008. :clap:

[Dragons]

Well done Titans you pips the mighty Dragons on the ladder, maybe next year we can both be in the GF. Well done Luke B, your season was outstanding.