Prince's Coast tribe united as Titans

[DIEHARD]

Prince's Coast tribe united as Titans
Scott Prince


Scott Prince's tribe ... the multicultural Gold Coast Titans' squad. Pic: Kit de Guymer

THIS is my tribe.

Their backgrounds may be from a league of nations spreading across the globe and they may come in all sizes, all colours, but here on the Gold Coast they come under one banner -- Titans.

In a week that has proven that racism still exists at the elite level of rugby league, it is also worth reminding ourselves what is good about our game.

We need to look no further then the Gold Coast Titans. We are a microcosm of this city, of this country.

We are a multi-cultural team that mirrors our society.

Just have a look at the nationalities within our first grade squad. There is a healthy slice of fair-skinned boys whose ancestry hails back to Great Britain -- Luke Bailey and Michael Henderson -- for example.

But then you have the Italian connection, Anthony 'Boof' Laffranchi and Mark 'Mini' Minichiello, our Maori cousins Bodene Thompson and Clinton Toopi, Tongan Esi Tonga, Cook Islander Aaron 'Bubba' Cannings and Samoan Sam Tagataese.

Our flying wingers certainly bring in some interesting international flavour with Papua New Guinean Davey Mead and Kevvie Gordon, who skites about his Chinese-Filippino ancestry.

Big Brad 'Red' Meyers has a dash of German, Sel Berdie's family hails from Ghana and of course Presto, myself and Shannon Walker are all proud indigenous boys.

The point is our team, our society, is a melting pot. It should never be about colour or nationality, but about the person. That is never more evident than on a football field playing rugby league.

This is a tough sport that is based on camaraderie. You only survive as an individual and a team if the bloke beside you has got your back. That's why on a football field it is never about colour, but about real things such as courage, tenacity, skill, mateship.

There is no racism at the Titans. It has never, ever been an issue.

In my four years with the club it has never been a topic, never even been hinted at. That's because of the culture and the quality of the people who created the Titans -- people such as Michael Searle, Paul Broughton and inaugural coach John Cartwright.

One of Searley's first statements about recruiting players was that he would seek 'the person before the player'.

He started off with good people and that culture remains.

Presto was the driving force behind this year's Indigenous All Stars game, a great concept that I have no doubt will grow bigger, be great for our game and even greater as a force against racism.

Presto and I have both experienced racism in life and in sport -- and we certainly are not alone.

But things are also improving greatly.

It took courage for what Timana Tahu did. He could have done what a lot of people have done for a long time, just looked the other way. But the stand he took says racism has no place in our society -- not among footy players, not in the workplace, not in a schoolground, not anywhere.

He took that stand for his children and I know how he feels. When my daughters hear comments about indigenous Australians I want them to feel proud of who they are and where they come from.

I don't want them to feel any form of shame or hurt because of that reference.

I am proudly Aboriginal, but I also acknowledge the other cultures within the Titans and each player should be just as honoured about his heritage.

But all those nationalities blend as one when, like tonight against the Dogs, we run out as one.

Yes, it's just a game, but it's also an indication of how we should live, as one with respect for each other.

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

[karnage]

That's his best peice yet.