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Michael Gordon solves Gold Coast’s fullback dilemma
http://www.theaustralian.com.au
Michael Gordon says there was a tinge of regret when he didn’t join the Gold Coast in their inaugural NRL campaign, but says he can play an important role having finally returned home more than 10 years later.
Gordon was released from the final year of his contract by the Sydney Roosters yesterday to join the Titans on a two-year deal, solving the fullback dilemma created by the departure of Jarryd Hayne.
The one-time NSW representative grew up in northern NSW and played his junior football with the Tweed Coast Raiders. He had hoped to return to the region with his family following his time at the Roosters, but admitted even his premature return was much later than it could have been.
“I had a chance to maybe come back in the inaugural year (in 2007) and didn’t,” Gordon said. “It’s something I sort of looked back and thought maybe if I’d done things differently.”
Gordon chose to remain loyal to Penrith for the 2007 season and has gone on to carve out 225 NRL games for four different NSW-based clubs.
But he has always looked to return to the Titans.
“Pretty much from about 2010 I’ve tried to come back every year and its either fallen down from my end or the club’s end,” he said. “It’s taken me 10 years but I’m finally here.”
The tasty secrets to Gordon's longevity
http://www.nrl.com
Veteran Gold Coast fullback Michael Gordon is known as ''the ultimate pro'' but he winces at the suggestion he is some kind of new age health nut.
The 34-year-old custodian's secrets to longevity are not what you might expect.
Gordon had a cracker of a game in last week's 32-20 win over Manly where he set up several tries, one with a thumping tackle on Akuila Uate that jolted the ball free. Throw in his six goals and all-round safe game and you understand why the Titans are not missing Jarryd Hayne.
Garth Brennan told NRL.com there were ''a few eyebrows raised about me signing a 34-year-old'' but he had no hesitation in bringing him to the Titans.
So how does Gordon stay forever young?
''I still have my splurges and I am a sucker for chocolate every night,'' he told NRL.com.
''I'm certainly not a health nut. If you go too strict all the time it is not enjoyable.
''After a game, I'll have a pizza and a couple of red wines for dinner, and I love a beer more than anyone, so it is all about finding the right balance.
''Most players these days are well aware of diet and the sports science behind things and it was after I had two season-ending injuries at Penrith where, while I didn't change anything, I realised how important it was to look after myself because coming back from those injuries is hard.
''In 2012 I broke my leg and since then I've kept myself in really good shape.''
The demands on a footballer's body in a pre-season are intense and instead of having breakfast, lunch and dinner Gordon tries to have six or seven meals a day.
While they are smaller portions Gordon explained they fine-tune his metabolism and get rid of the post-season body fat.
''A perfect day in pre-season would be a smoothie-type shake for breakfast, and I usually still do that on game day or any training day because it fills me up and I know I can do a big fitness session and keep energy in the body,'' he said.
''[After training] there are protein shakes available so I’ll have one of them. Lunch is generally rice, sweet potatoes, greens and a little bit of beef or chicken.
"Afternoon snack is a bit of fruit and yoghurt or a protein shake again, and say I make a big spaghetti bolognese for dinner I'll have a small portion at 5.30pm and another at 7.30pm so it is just about splitting the meals out over the day.''
Gordon's formula is if you are eating well 85 percent of the time the other 15 percent doesn't matter.
''Once you've done a full pre-season you are in pretty much tip-top condition so it is all about maintenance then,'' he said.
''Leading into the game it is all about hydration and the right carbohydrates and proteins … but I can't go to bed without having some chocolate or ice-cream. I've got the worst sweet tooth.''
And it was a sweet deal done in a seamless fashion that saw Gordon sign a two-year deal with the Titans.
In the wake of Jarryd Hayne's departure Brennan needed to find a suitable replacement.
The Titans coach was sitting next to the club's head of performance Hayden Knowles when the phone rang and it was Gordon on the other end.
''Garth and I were living in the same apartment when Michael rang Garth personally,'' Knowles said.
''When Garth got off the phone I said 'don't waste any time signing Michael because he's the ultimate pro who won't let you down'. I got to see it first hand at the Roosters with the way he applied himself to his preparation in all the little details.
''There are times when you have to pull Michael back, because he is a bit older, but he will almost fight you.''
Support runs are a major aspect of fullback play and when Knowles is out on the field as a trainer he jokes with Gordon that he is going for world records.
''I remind him that Linford Christie won the 100m at the Olympic Games at age 32,'' Knowles grinned.
Gordon believes his best at the Titans is yet to come.
''I'm getting used to the new spine, new teammates and new systems … we are still a work in progress but heading in the right direction,'' he said.
Gordon is back in the region where he played his junior football, living near the ocean and enjoying a surf when he can.
Last Sunday night after the win in Gladstone the team's hotel put on ribs and hot chips.
''I was smashing the hot chips,'' Gordon grinned.
''Sometimes after a game you just need to get some energy back in so I had some ribs, steak, hot chips and a couple of red wines. It was perfect.''
As he likes to say, it is all about finding that balance.
Gold Coast Titans’ rising stars putting a pep in step of veteran fullback
https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/
The Titans crop of rising stars are proving an elixir of youth for veteran fullback Michael Gordon who is determined to be a part of the Gold Coast’s exciting future.
The Tweed Coast Raiders junior returned home this season determined to play his part in rebuilding the Titans and has been inspired by the club’s crop of youngsters this season.
While the teen tyros have made Gordon feel every one of his 34 years, he said their presence around the club “actually makes you feel younger”.
“(We’ve got) young forwards, young backs, young halves, it’s just great being around them and they’re a ball of energy, they make you laugh.
Young guns like Ashley Taylor (left) are giving Titans fullback Michael Gordon (right) a new lease on life. Photo: AAP
“It’s just good being around, especially being at home and having all my closest friends and family here, it’s been such an enjoyable year for me.”
Gordon said while he was happy in Sydney — he was released from the final year of his deal with the Roosters to join the Titans — there was nothing like being home.
“To get the opportunity to come back and play for the local team that wasn’t here when I first went down (to Sydney), I’m forever grateful to be able to come home and finish here,” he said.
Gordon has another year on his contract and is has cemented his spot in the No. 1 jersey, with his form set to prevent any push for AJ Brimson to head to fullback next season.
Brimson is seen by many as a long-term fullback, something that has lent weight to this week’s rumours Corey Norman could be headed to the Gold Coast.
But coach Garth Brennan said the 19-year-old would need significant time preparing to make the switch and saw any move as unlikely before Gordon retired.
“For AJ to move to fullback he would need a full pre-season on the defensive side of things,” Brennan said.
AJ Brimson may be a long-term option at fullback but he’s likely to remain in the halves next season. Photo: AAP
“There’s no doubt attack-wise he’d handle it quite comfortably but getting numbers right and knowing when you should and shouldn’t put yourself in the line as fullback, there’s a real art to it.
“He would need to spend a whole pre-season working with Flash (Gordon) and getting educated ready to play at fullback before I’d even look at throwing him in there to be honest.”
Gordon will face another former club Parramatta on Saturday and said the Eels would be desperate to avoid the wooden spoon.
“I’ve been in that position before and it’s hard because it seems like the harder you try, the worse things go,” he said.
“But I’ve seen patches of them playing where they look brilliant and they’ve got such a great squad across the park, it must be really frustrating for them.
“We’ve got our own goals we’re playing for, so we’re not going down there thinking it’s going to be an easy game because I know first-hand it’s going to be one of our hardest games for the year.”