Toopi and the Titans

[DIEHARD]

Titans give Toopi NRL lifeline

THE Gold Coast was the last place Clinton Toopi thought he would be this summer.

But he is -- and he has no plans of leaving in a hurry.

The former Kiwi international will lead a fresh-faced Titans squad into next week's first trial in Ipswich -- the first major test in his quest to prove he belongs once again in the NRL.

Granted a three-month lifeline with the hope of rekindling a booming rugby league career that threatened to be cut short with shoulder and knee injuries, Toopi was licking his lips at the chance to return to the field.

"Being away from the game for so long, to be given the opportunity has been such a blast for me, the boys have been very welcoming and I'm enjoying every bit of it," said Toopi, of the opportunity coach John Cartwright has given him.

"I take every game seriously -- 2008 was the last game I had, but by NRL standards it was 2006, so I'm itching to get out and test the waters plus see how the knee is and if the body's up to it."

A star in the 2002 New Zealand Warriors' squad which went within a whisker of clinching the premiership, Toopi has enjoyed the highs and lows of professional footy since leaving the NRL for the English Super League.

His time in Northern England was cut short by shoulder and knee reconstructions but the 30-year-old is now feeling fit and confident some sharp form in the trials will allow the chance to add to his tally of 129 games in the NRL.

And with the Titans' quality playing roster and experienced coaching staff headed by Cartwright and Trevor Gillmeister, Toopi can see no reason why they cannot experience the joys of premiership glory.

"I tell a lot of my mates that nothing outweighs that 2002 grand final," he said. "That was the best and if all goes well for me in the trial and I can get a chance with the club I'm pretty confident this team is capable of getting there."

While it has been hard living on the Coast with wife Turenga and daughters Waimania, 4, and Brianna, 3, back in NZ, settling in has been made easier for Toopi, who recently moved in with Papua New Guinea international David Mead and under-20 prospect Ryan Tongia.

"I still struggle with the family being back home but I'm trying to stay focused for the big picture -- so far so good.

Source: http://www.goldcoast.com.au

[quinn loves titans]

cant wait to see this guy playhopefully im going to ipswich trial fingers crossed but i have to go on bus with peeps anything planned?

[Supergoose]

If toopi can return to somewhere near his best it will be a boon for the titans. This guy was fantastic for the warriors at their peak, let's hope he can reproduce for the titans.

[TITAN PETE]

For those who don't know or remember Toopi check out him in the surf last week http://www.goldcoast.com.au/images/gallery/remote/2010/02/04/531795.jpg

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast Titans set to sign former Warriors centre Clinton Toopi

Gold Coast Titans coach John Cartwright says former New Zealand Test centre Clinton Toopi doesn't need to do anything more to prove he deserves a contract for 2010.

But Toopi says he wants to have two trials against NRL quality opposition before signing on the dotted line.

The 29-year-old has been named in the Titans squad to play South Sydney at Coffs Harbour on Saturday night and is also expected to get a hit-out against North Queensland Cowboys in Darwin next Saturday.

"I'm over the moon to hear John has so much faith in me," Toopi said.

"But I'll see how I get through the next two games. I'd like to put pen to paper as soon as possible, but I have had some pretty bad injuries and I want to see how things go."

Toopi's Titans debut against a youthful Broncos outfit at Ipswich last Friday was solid rather than spectacular. But Cartwright said his performance, on top of his exemplary attitude at training, had convinced him to give the former Warriors and Leeds Rhinos star a chance.

"I don't expect too much of Clinton, but I know if he stays healthy he'll be a tremendous asset for us at some stage through the year," he said.

"I saw enough of him the other night just through his talk and experience, his cool head - I just know if he stays healthy we will get a lot out of him.

"We'll talk to him when the trials are over. It's more about him being comfortable with his injuries."

Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au

[quinn loves titans]

didnt sound like he even had a good game

[teke]

As Carty pointed to he showed some things that are a good base for the rest of the year. He's been away from the game for so long it will be a little while before he can show some true class that he has shown in the past. He'll def put some big hits on this year.

[Boofhead]

Toopi signs NRL deal with Titans
By Chris Barclay | Fri 05 Mar 2010

Former Warriors centre Clinton Toopi is poised to make a surprise NRL comeback with the Gold Coast Titans against the club where he made his name.

The former New Zealand international is vying for a backline berth alongside double international Mat Rogers when the Titans host the Warriors in the opening round match of the season next Sunday.

Toopi, 29, inked a one-year deal with the Titans on Thursday despite reservations about the state of his injury-ravaged knees - and the realisation his wife and two daughters in New Zealand.

Capped 21 times for the Kiwis between 2002 and 2007, Toopi's career seemed on the wane once he ended his 129-game first grade career at the Warriors and relocated to the English Super League and Leeds at the end of the 2006 season.

Injuries confined him to just 15 games before he was released in 2008 - he then returned home to briefly switch codes to play rugby for Bay of Plenty.

Toopi was named in the Steamers' Air NZ Cup squad last year but more injury issues effectively sidelined him after the pre-season trials.

Toopi was offered an NRL lifeline by the Titans in November and showed enough glimpses of class in trial matches against the Broncos, Rabbitohs and Cowboys to be offered a contract.

"Before he played a trial we knew we wanted to keep him," Titans football manager Scott Clark told NZPA.

Clark admitted signing Toopi, who made his NRL debut and the first of 119 appearances for the Warriors in 1999, was a risk given his medical history though the club says his value will also be apparent off the field.

"We've been asking him to help the younger Polynesian guys (in the club)," Clark said.

"They all sort of hang together and sometimes they don't do everything we ask them. Clinton's been a good role model. He kicks them up the **** a few times.

"He's gained so much respect in such a short time. He rips in at training, he's never late for anything .... we can't ask for any more of him really."

Toopi finds himself in competition with one of the rookies he is tasked with mentoring for a centre spot against the Warriors - 20-year-old Wellington-born Melbourne Storm recruit Joseph Tomane.

Toopi confessed shortly after arriving at the Titans that the separation from his family might prove too hard to bear, but so far so good.

"It's something Clinton is concerned about but we're trying to work through it," Clark said.

"He won't get back (to NZ) too often, on the bye weeks perhaps, and there may be times when we've got a longer turn around and he could slip back for a day or two here and there."

AAP

[DIEHARD]

Great news especially with Atkins and Tonga facing injuries.

Welcome to the Gold Coast Titans Clinton!

[quinn loves titans]

Tonga bad Atkins not so much he only had a good debut but good news on toopi cant wait to see this beast.

[nzkiwis]

Hes an old has been you can have this sack of mud LOL

[nzkiwis]

nah now Im gonna be serious. I have been a Warriors fan since the start in 95, I saw their first game against the Broncos. Honestly Toopi would be in my top ever warriors team as a center(along with Nigel Vagana - Over Tate coz Tate has been injured and NEVER at his best for us though he remains a favourite of mine). Tooipi excels playing outside a top tier playmaker, running off other players who put him into space, he has never been great at creating something from nothing(good but not great) but was one of the best at supporting a player who makes a break or running the correct lines for a playmaker to make the correct pass and put him in the hole, I have never seena player better at this. At the Warriors he had one of the past greats n Stacey Jones, In Scot Prince he has one of the modern day greats, add to the fact you now also have Greg Bird and always PC then you have other players he can feed off too, it is this reason I believe he will be a success if he stays healthy, his attributes will work well for this team and him and rogers will be one of the top center pairings in the nrl if allowed to stick together!! Go Clinton!!

[titansrawesome]

he didnt have a great game in the 0-0 draw with wynumm manly.........

[nzkiwis]

he didnt have a great game in the 0-0 draw with wynumm manly.........

He'll be fine, remember form is temporary and class is permanent. Give him some time hes been out of the game injured and hasnt played league in 2 years, but last year he made the squad of one of our top 6 rugby provincial teams(Bay of Plenty) in NZ as a center despite having never played but was then robbed the season by injury, he is still coming back, hopefully he will be fine!!