Titans 2007: Richie Mathers a Titan - (Not confirmed)

[DeeGan]

BRITS LURED: Brian Carney won't be the only British import to play for Gold Coast in 2007, with Leeds fullback Richie Mathers understood to have agreed to terms with the new club. Mathers, 22, played for England against New Zealand two weeks ago and would have been called up to replace Paul Wellens in the Great Britain team this weekend if he had not undergone wrist surgery. Great Britain prop Stuart Fielden and Wigan centre Sean O'Loughlin continue to be linked to the Titans

I have not had this confirmed, as soon as I have I will let the forum know.

In saying that, there were rumours prior to the SMH release.

Mathers is a great signing for us and I think he will only be a better player from being apart of the NRL!

The highlighted ending to the piece would be awesome if it was true - IMAGINE Luke Bailey and Stuart Fielden partnering each other up front!! The two best props in the world leading the Titans!

DeeGan

[DeeGan]

For those interested, here is a profile on Richie Mathers from the Leeds Rhinos website:

Name Richard Mathers

Position Full Back

Date of Birth 10/24/1983

Place of Birth Leeds

Previous Club Milford ARLFC

Weight 84Kg

Height 5'11

Honours England Academy Squad Number 1

Debut v St Helens 30/8/02

Richard Mathers made his debut at the end of the 2002 season after returning from a loan spell at Warrington Wolves earlier in the season.
He made an impressive debut against St Helens when first choice winger Karl Pratt was injured. He followed this up a fortnight later scoring his first try at Headingley against London and made two subsequent appearances including the crucial Play off game against Hull.

During his time at the club he has featured in three consecutive Academy Grand Final wins, eventually earning himself a place in the Rhinos first team squad at the start of 2003 and made a reputation for himself with some outstanding performances in 2003, including a man of the match performance in front of the Sky TV cameras. He only managed one try though but it could not have been more crucial as the Rhinos came back from 20-0 down against St Helens with 15 minutes to go, Mathers try eventually gave the Rhinos the lead in the closing stages. Richard's form last season was such that the Rhinos allowed Great Britain star Gary Connolly to return to Wigan. In 2004 he was named Yorkshire Evening Post Shooting Star winner after, after only missing four games all season. Richard scored 6 tries last season, including one in the Grand Final Eliminator against Wigan, which helped secure his and the Rhinos place in the Super League Grand Final. Richard was one of the top performers for the Rhinos last year, and is a strong runner when coming into contact, which was proved with his 78 tackle busts for the Rhinos last year. He is renowned for his incredible enthusiasm for the game and Leeds Rhinos, having supported the club since he was a boy. Richard played in the Grand Final in 2004, was try scorer in the Carnegie World Club Challenge against Canterbury at his beloved Elland Road and also started in this season?s Powergen Challenge Cup Final. He has only missed one game so far this season, the defeat at Wigan in September, scoring 17 tries in 34 games, his best ever season. In total he has made 79 appearances for Leeds including 2 as a substitute scoring 25 tries.
Rugby Career :

Richard signed for the Rhinos from local amateur club Milford ARLFC after representing Leeds & Hunslet Schools and England Schoolboys. In 2002, former Leeds Academy Coach David Plange took him on loan to Warrington Wolves where he made eight Super League appearances.

At the end of that period he returned to the Rhinos.

In 2001 he toured New Zealand and Australia with the England Academy team, beating the Junior Kiwis 2-0 and narrowly losing the first Test to the Junior Kangaroos before losing the series the following week.

However, Mathers was one of the survivors of that side which historically beat the Junior Kangaroos in 2002, beating them 2-0, and especially for Mathers when they clinched the first ever series win over Australia at his home ground of Headingley. At the end of the 2004 season Richard suffered a wrist injury, which meant he missed out on joining the England A team for the European Nations Championship.

Personal Details :
Richard's favourite TV programme is MTV Cribs, his dream car would be a BMW X5, his childhood hero is Australian Test captain Darren Lockyer, his favourite film is Shawshank Redemption and his best mate in the game is Danny McGuire. Whilst on loan at Warrington he shared a house with the Wolves Graham Appo and Nathan Wood, his sporting hero is Michael Jordan and he thinks his future career could be as a chef.

I am sure Darren Lockyer will feel a little bit older being described as his childhood idol

DeeGan

[League Freak]

Mathers is a very good young player and the best British fullback by some way.


He has very good positional sense, he always has a knack of poppoing up at the right place at the right time. He is probably at his best when having to defend his own ingoal and kicks behind the defensive line are almost always picted up by a well positioned Mathers.

In attack he does quite well considering he is in a Leeds side that doesnt use him very well at all. Playing in a side with Preston Camobell, he will be able to capatalise on his decent amount of speed and acceleration.


He would be a GREAT signing.

[DeeGan]

Mathers is a very good young player and the best British fullback by some way.

I tend to agree, though "Leeds bias" normally is the call by some

If only Noble had him available for the Tri-Nations - Leon Pryce at fullback is a disaster waiting to happen.

In attack he does quite well considering he is in a Leeds side that doesnt use him very well at all.

Again, tend to agree as much of our attack focuses around McGuire and Rob Burrow with Mathers a 'bit player' in attack which is to our own peril.

I see alot of Robbie Ross in Mathers, good support player, good returner of the ball, positionally sound and a player that has the potential for rep honors on a regular basis. Under the high ball, he is the best in the Super League competition.

Mathers would of been in my GB side after the shock loss to NZ if he was available.

DeeGan

[Titanium_BD1103]

I like the look of Mathers.. he is young, talented and part of a side that has been very successful over the past few years.. I look forward to seeing him here in 2007.. another great signing and things are looking up.. as they always do with the Titans...

[Teegy]

haven't seen much on him but wat i have i like

[The Original Idiot]

So it's unlikely Greenshields is coming then?
And what the hell does ARLFC stand for?

[Titanium_BD1103]

I think it means Ameteur Rugby League Football Club.. that is what some clubs in England lower divisions are called.. but to be sure.. you should Google it..

[Super Cronk]

http://www.hindleyarlfc.co.uk/ =ARLFC

[titans_fanatic]

Dont know of him exept ive seen a couple of games good player and good for the club

[Coaster]

Hmm how about some queenslanders??

With all these Poms and ****roaches, im feeling abit confused about how i feel :fyi:

And btw the best 2 props at the moment in any league, is Coaster and Dee gan for the Titans RLS :afro:

[PARANoIR]

Rumours are still going around that Bradford are going to sign him. Hope this proves to be wrong, would do him much better over here

...plus I have a bet riding on it.

[UK Pyscho]

Mathers is a quality young player with excellent an positional game, good attacking skills and a decent short kicking game, his only weakness would be his 1 on 1 defense which has let him down a bit. Only the fact that he has just had wrist surgery means you wont see him in action for GB at weekend, he would have been called up as Wellens is out injured.

PS. His best mate is Danny McGuire - what price him heading down under soon too?

[DeeGan]

His best mate is Danny McGuire - what price him heading down under soon too?

First and foremost, welcome to the forum!

Secondly, I think the chances of seeing McGuire in the NRL sooner rather than later increases now Mathers has taken up the challenge as well.

With Fielden, KC and Noble all possibly NRL bound in 2007, McGuire might join them when his current contract expires. I am not sure on the details of his deal with Leeds though.

DeeGan

[captaincharger]

Morley test case points to greater exodus down under

Andy Wilson on Rugby league
Thursday November 24, 2005
The Guardian


The Super League is in danger of being on the wrong end of a brawn drain. It could be the best thing that has happened to the British game for decades. After ploughing a lone furrow last year as the only Pom in Australia's National Rugby League, Adrian Morley will be joined at the Sydney Roosters next season by Mark Edmondson, the mobile young forward from St Helens, while the equally adventurous Irish wing Brian Carney will spend a year with Andrew Johns at the Newcastle Knights before moving north to the Gold Coast Titans for their NRL debut in 2007.

When he arrives in Surfers Paradise, Carney could be joined by a number of other British players. The Titans chief executive Michael Searle is in Britain this week continuing his negotiations with the Leeds full-back Richie Mathers, Wigan's gifted loose-forward Sean O'Loughlin and the Bradford prop Stuart Fielden - whose performances in Britain's struggling Tri-Nations team have consolidated his reputation in Australia. Keiron Cunningham has also engaged an Australian agent to find him an NRL club for the year after next, and other leading players such as Paul Sculthorpe and Danny McGuire retain an ambition to test themselves at rugby league's cutting edge.