Titan Tomane faces fierce welcome `home'
THE fuse has been lit for an explosive clash between Melbourne and the Gold Coast after claims by the Storm that former favourite son Joseph Tomane was a selfish player, who put himself ahead of the team.
Gold Coast centre Tomane will face his old side tomorrow night for the first time since walking away from the powerhouse NRL club last season.
The match is already shaping as an early season litmus test for the Titans but Storm assistant coach Brad Arthur has ensured added fireworks for the Skilled Park showdown.
Arthur this week claimed part of the reason Tomane was overlooked for the Storm's ultimately successful 2009 finals campaign in favour of Dane Nielsen was because he was not a team player.
Tomane scored 10 tries in 15 games for the Storm last year, but was not sighted in first grade after Round 24 as Nielsen went on to finish the season on the left wing.
"Joe Tomane had plenty of X-factor about him, but Dane probably is more of a team player," Arthur told the Melbourne press.
"He does what's best for the team and not what's best for Dane.
"He wants to work hard and do all the little things right and keep it nice and simple and just do his job, whereas Joe Tomane is a very good footballer but he is probably a bit more about himself than the team on occasions."
Already lining up opposite superstar Storm centre Greg Inglis and needing to make up for a below par performance last week against the Cowboys, the stinging criticism is likely to give Tomane even more motivation.
The Titans were reluctant to return fire yesterday, but privately believe the comments to be a simple case of sour grapes.
The Coast pinched Tomane from under Craig Bellamy's nose last year, triggering an angry reaction from the Storm, who were desperate to retain the talented 20-year-old.
Tomane captured the attention of the NRL with a stunning three-try 24-point haul against the Brisbane Broncos in Round 13.
Five days later he turned his back on the Storm to sign a two-year deal with the Gold Coast.
At the time Bellamy said the incident left him 'angered as never before in my time as a coach'.
Storm assistant coach Steve Kearney yesterday insisted there was no lingering bad blood.
"Joseph made it clear that he wanted to go home to be closer to family, which is understandable," he said.
"We were disappointed to lose a young guy with the talent that he has. But at the end of the day it was a great opportunity for him and he went with our blessing."
Source: http://www.goldcoast.com.au