2019 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

Gold Coast Titans must claim an identity to fulfil club’s potential

The battle to save the Gold Coast Titans starts today, and every person at the club has a role to play in creating a culture, defining an identity that will keep the franchise alive, writes ANTHONY GRIFFIN.

Anthony Griffin, The Daily Telegraph

The Gold Coast Titans require more than a new head coach. The franchise needs an identity, a soul.

Since the inception of the Club in 2007 there have been pockets of relative success over 12 seasons.

Finals appearances in 2009, 2010 and most recently in 2016 have interrupted eight years of bottom four finishes and a wooden spoon in 2011.

As it stands today, they are without a coach and running last. It’s difficult for anyone, particular those involved in the club to confidently identify what’s gone wrong in the past and what the solutions are for the future.

The sacking of Garth Brennan is an example of this. Less than two years ago he was fast tracked into the role only to be removed this week.

Once again, the game and everyone who follows it is looking at the Gold Coast and not sure where the franchise is going and what it stands for.

That’s not a criticism, it’s the reality of the situation.

The chairman said as much earlier in the week when he expressed concerns about the future of the club. For mine, the club has all the right fundamentals to be a success in the NRL. However, some immediate tough decisions need to make.

The NRL, like all professional sports competitions around the world, is a brutal business. The ruthlessness of the environment can challenge your self-belief whether you are a coach, player or administrator.

Taking on these brutal challenges is how you survive. This is an opportunity for everyone involved in the club, from the owners and the board down, to come together and take on the current situation head-on.

The key is to narrow your focus and set some simple standards that will underpin your behaviour.

Right now, the simpler the better. Start from the start about what’s important to you and what you believe in.

This can be a simple as punctuality and extras, whether you are a player, coach or staff member.

Day by day the collective selflessness of your club builds.

The grey areas of the organisation begin to disappear, and the team starts to play for each other.

There might not be immediate results on the scoreboard, however the performances will begin to create an identity within the team and the club.

This identity gives everyone a sense of hope and belonging — not the least the members and supporters.

They start to feel safe that when they pay their money and front up to a game, they know what to expect from their team.

The Titans have some long-term challenges in regard to footprint and survival.

They are actually in a position of strength on both of these issues, which can be enhanced by emerging successfully out of the current predicament.

There has been some commentary about them being a development club.

Development of juniors is important for any club but for the Titans the immediate future is the priority.

They need to start performing together now — today at training — this weekend against the Storm.

Brick-by-brick they can build performances based on standards and self-belief. They have a lot of good people in their club with a lot of potential.

Up until now most of that potential has been at an expense not a return on investment. For the sake of the club and those with the unearthed potential, this needs to change sooner rather than later, and it can, very quickly in the right environment.

The Gold Coast Titans are extremely important for rugby league in Queensland and the NRL. The club has a future, possibly a bigger one then most people give them credit for.

First though they must find their soul.

A new coach will come in but some of the answers lie with those already there.

Forum is buzzing today. Good reading on Wallace, guess it wouldn't help that he has been in the 13 jumper a couple of times this year too.

I hate it how our offers always end up in the media, has to be a manager ploy to make us play overs and they've been doing it for years. This allows others to table competitive counter offers and then we end up paying the overs.

NZfan, article about Turpin and his contract at the Broncos and they're ability to try and keep him etc.

https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...L03ni94wbELqMM

no worries at all MT - i agree that he doesn't bring the attack the others do, but in a bit of a moneyball type way, getting to the other end is the goal and a couple of people who just eat metres is ok in a team. Mofo and Boyd, plus the old James should be the mongrel and aggression while Arrow and Wallace rack up 150+ each week no fuss at all.

In a week that has been all doom and gloom for our club, call me the eternal optimist (and yes I know we are coming last), but I still consider we potentially still have a strong nucleus of a team. I chop and change every 1/2 hour about a preferred coach, but the reality is right now we need someone to get our players to play to their potential.

I have this thought that any side needs a core of 7or 8 real quality players as a starting point and I don't think we are too far off that if our players played to their ability.

Brimson - future star.
Kelly - effort and skill. Still young as well.
Taylor - there was a reason he got the contract he did, and also a reason Matt Johns called him the next superstar of our game.
Arrow - future captain at club and possibly origin level
James - sorely missed this year. Unlucky not to play origin last year
Mo - wrecking ball with high motor. Still really young.

That is 6, and mostly Gold Coast juniors as well. Next coach needs to get Taylor clicking and still not sure Tyrone is the best partner for him. Although he is at the end of his career, I would love to have someone like Benji at 6 to mentor Ash for a couple of seasons.

What is missing from that list is a quality edge backrower and a hooker. I am interested to see how Sam Stone plays this weekend. Was highly spoken of a couple of years ago and played Junior Kangaroos (coincidentally with Justin Holbrook as coach). Not anointing him as the answer, just keen to see what he offers.

At 9 we really need someone. Peats and Rein are both servicable but not long term answers. Agree with some other posters on here, would really like to get Turpin from the Broncos.

I think Whitbread and Hipgrave will grow in to decent depth players. I still think we were chasing Boyd as insurance for Wallace because looked like he might leave and then we ended up getting both. Has been disappointing, as has obviously Cartwright and particularly Peachey.

agree 100% Ausphin and have always said we do have the talent, its just the talent isn't playing like the talent. love the optimism.

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Originally Posted by DavidBouveng

agree 100% Ausphin and have always said we do have the talent, its just the talent isn't playing like the talent. love the optimism.

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also - i think as well as a backrower and a hooker, we need 2 big body wingers to rock and shock on the returns.

Brenko my pick to partner Kelly in centres, and also Sami gets a run at that wing spot but he needs to show more effort than last week.

I will pass on Wallace. What the stats don’t tell you is he really lacks lateral movement and very slow to get back into defensive position where teams really target him. Defence wins premierships and we are way behind most teams in regards to this and players like Wallace Boyd are more of a liability to challenging the top teams

5 year contract jesus. I think it should be at maximum 4 years with an option im the clubs favour...

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Originally Posted by DavidBouveng

yeah i hear ya mate. im doing my best. found some encouraging reading just on a player we all love to hate this year

Jarrod Wallace - would love to get some opinions form forum folk on what we think of him.

I think he is doing better than he gets credit for - his lazy penalties piss me right off, and he has the occasional amble to the line, but i have said a few weeks ago he has had some great games and probably more really good games than Arrow this year, prior to Arrows injury. I was pissed when i thought we over paid for him at 650-700k, but if the fox numbers of 500k are correct i think that's good value for a fringe origin player.

So i ran some numbers on his year and checked it out and i think our perception of him doesn't align.

Wallace has 6th most run metres out of forwards for the season behind Lolo, Klemmer, TKO, Jesse Brom and Tapau. He is ahead of Vaughn, Tamou, Jake Turbo, Fonua Blake among others, and his average metres per game of 154 is ahead of Arrows 145. he makes 16.3 runs per game to Jai's 15.8.

He is 7th in post contact metres amongst forwards with average of 52 per game, compared to Arrows 54, right up there behind the best forwards in game.

He leads the comp in charge downs, which don't do a lot but is a great indicator of effort i believe. Think of your Steve Prices and Matt Gillett's over the years making those efforts time and again.

now for the negative, which again might surprise. Wallace averages 1 error per game ( 14 errors from 14 games ) and is outside the top 50 in this stat.

he also has 12 penalties from 14 games for a 0.9 penalty per game average which sees him around 25th in the comp. I swear it feels like he gives away plenty more but it must be when he does it cos it bothers me every time.

So overall we have a prop who runs for 150+ metres per game from 16+ runs, doesn't make many errors, and gives away less than one penalty per match, who also shows up in effort category of charge down and leads or is equal in major stats to our saviour and lord Jai Arrow.

Wallace didn't have the best Origin game perhaps ( not many did ), and has had a couple of lower games this year, but on the whole he should be well down the rung of players we are giving negative attention to and is probably one of the guys keeping us in a lot of games.

for 500k i think he is actually very good value - the guys above him and below him on those lists are the elite players and on big monies - he just needs a better publicist and to top the lazy penalty that's get on our nerves

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I think it's that his penalties come at really bad times for the team and that's why they get noticed more.

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Originally Posted by SCoast Titan

Josh Reynolds free to negotiate with other clubs. Thoughts??

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Oh god no. He plays on pure emotion and as a result he is flaky. We already have enough rubbish in our half rotations.

Was reflecting on his time here last night, and I concluded we need to lose Taylor for the club to go forward. The sooner the better.

The white-anting and questionable efforts have gone on long enough.

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Originally Posted by Toads

Was reflecting on his time here last night, and I concluded we need to lose Taylor for the club to go forward. The sooner the better.

The white-anting and questionable efforts have gone on long enough.

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I'd prefer to have the million back too, but we can't sack players like we do coaches and no one is taking him off us.

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Originally Posted by JunctionBlock

NZfan, article about Turpin and his contract at the Broncos and they're ability to try and keep him etc.

https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...L03ni94wbELqMM

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Cheers JB, I realise it was a bit of a pipedream but I just thought that he is exactly what we need moving forward out of dummy half. If Peachey was to move on then I'm sure we could possibly use some of that cap space to chase him but things would have to happen quick.

It is nice to see the forum buzzing though. That deal for Arrow is the best news that we have had in a long time. I expect him to take it as he genuinely believes in the club and I think he will earn every single cent of it too.

Nice post Ausphin. Pretty spot on really. I especially agree about getting rid of Roberts and Rein. I know you could argue that they have probably been some of our better players this year but that doesn't say much to me. They are both rejects from other clubs and average players at best. I'll happily say that I never wanted Roberts back here and I was particularly livid to her about his family connection with Brennan. I think that it is best for everyone that we go in a different direction from the players that Brennan brought with him.

Completely unrelated to his ability as a footy player, but one positive of not getting Turpin is that I won't have to look at that ridiculous haircut each week.

Taylor is going to play for Seagulls this weekend

Gordon gave an interesting interview, i only turned it on right at the end. Itll come on again on foxsports ch 500

"we only want players that want to be here, to be apart of the success, if your going to be selfish and stand around and kick stones your going to be moved on"

"We are drawing a line in the sand"

The sub title from fox says 'players who dont "buy in" will be moved on


Hmmm

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Originally Posted by Upthetits

Gordon gave an interesting interview, i only turned it on right at the end. Itll come on again on foxsports ch 500

"we only want players that want to be here, to be apart of the success, if your going to be selfish and stand around and kick stones your going to be moved on"

"We are drawing a line in the sand"

The sub title from fox says 'players who dont "buy in" will be moved on


Hmmm

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Yeah, **** off Peachey.