Junior Development

[TitanBear]

Yes, a good post Shadow, one good thing about this forum is that you can give your opinion freely. I also agree with MDrew that although at first I was not a supporter of Woolf, I think he is working very very hard as all the coaching staff and in fact the 20s Team in last few weeks has performed very well and has been unlucky to lose games against teams eg Broncos (3rd) Warriers (7) Souths and beat a very good West Tigers outfit and were outstanding in round 7 against a full strength Penrithss (Watene & Cartwright) There defencen and attitude in not giving up is outstanding and is a young team with many having 1st year in 20s - I am of firm opinion that Woolf has a lot to work with with players like Coleman, Sharpe, Wilson, Morehu, Fletcher, Kelly, Jenin-Parish, Swift, Schwass, Fafita & Clarke (back from Injury) Oshea and there are many good players coming through in the Colts & GC A grade. This Team is continually improving and I have seen this in home and many away games I have been too. I know everyone has an opinion and always wants things better, but in a real world we just want to be postive and support. Go Titans. I personally get sick of the always negative posts, but thats my opinion only

[neranga]

Well after being in the USA for 12 weeks its good to be home to watch Rugby League!!The results havent gone our way in the 1st 10 or so rounds but after watching the Broncos and Warriors games I think this side has alot of potential with the playing group they have!!Woolfey is doing the best he can with a group of boys that were picked before he even signed so overall he can only do so much,I talked to 1 of the staff after the Warriors games and the Group as a whole are working there butts off but the bounce of the ball with injurys,errors and some 50/50 calls are going against them.The experienced boys from what I have seen have to really stand up and take control because most of them are in the most important positions in the TEAM,the likes of Parahi,Anthony Coleman,Oshae,Fletcher,Harrison and Sharpe were really impressive in the games I saw.Like Titan Bear said GO TITANS!!!

[Titanic]

any positive news very welcome and I for one value your opinions ... cynic I may be but equally a Titans tragic.

[Shadow]

Yes, a good post Shadow, one good thing about this forum is that you can give your opinion freely. I also agree with MDrew that although at first I was not a supporter of Woolf, I think he is working very very hard as all the coaching staff and in fact the 20s Team in last few weeks has performed very well and has been unlucky to lose games against teams eg Broncos (3rd) Warriers (7) Souths and beat a very good West Tigers outfit and were outstanding in round 7 against a full strength Penrithss (Watene & Cartwright) There defencen and attitude in not giving up is outstanding and is a young team with many having 1st year in 20s - I am of firm opinion that Woolf has a lot to work with with players like Coleman, Sharpe, Wilson, Morehu, Fletcher, Kelly, Jenin-Parish, Swift, Schwass, Fafita & Clarke (back from Injury) Oshea and there are many good players coming through in the Colts & GC A grade. This Team is continually improving and I have seen this in home and many away games I have been too. I know everyone has an opinion and always wants things better, but in a real world we just want to be postive and support. Go Titans. I personally get sick of the always negative posts, but thats my opinion only

Titan Bear I did not mean my post to be negative it is just my opinion that the titans could be doing things better in the Junior development area. I am a staunch Titans supporter and feel that with the talent we have we should be a consistent top 8 team in the 20s. I have no doubt that Woolf is doing everything he can to achieve results and concede that it would be a difficult job . In conclusion I sincerely hope that our results improve in the second half of the season and we see our Juniors achieve and sustain a winning culture which will make our Junior system attractive to others and stop the procession up the M1 and South.

[mdrew]

Good luck to the Titans contracted boys who are playing in the NSW Country championships this weekend for the East Coast Dolphins and the Greater Northern Tigers. The likes of John Boy Quinlan, Dan Johnson, Mitch Lennon etc. Hope you enjoy the weekend and play to the best of your ability

[mdrew]

Congratulations to the East Coast Dolphins and Greater Northern Tigers U18's for opening day wins, with the East Coast Dolphins U16's also winning, Greater Northern Tigers U16's still to play. East Coast Dolphins coves Groups 18, One and Two, with the Greater Northern Tigers covering Groups four, nineteen and twenty one. A few Titans across the sides.

[mdrew]

Greater Northern Tigers beat the East Coast Dolphins in both U16 and U18's today.

[mdrew]

Greater Northern Tigers in the CRL U18 and U16 final today. All the best to all the boys. NSW Country sides to be named this afternoon, fingers crossed for the Titans boys

[lonegull]

Thanks once again for the updates mdrew much appreciated

[mdrew]

Good to see Keanu Dawson getting a run for Burleigh Colts, not bad for a young second rower still eligible for U17 football this year. A good young talent.

[mdrew]

Congratulations to Sam Swift for making the Qld Maroons U18 side that will play a NSW Country side. Just recognition for a talented young player

[mdrew]

Congratulations to the Greater Northern U16 and U18 sides for winning the CRL championships yesterday, Country U16 and U18 sides named, well done to all. I will wait for the Titans to congratulate the Titans boys

[mdrew]

Qld White and Qld Maroons will play in the U15's final tomorrow, a few Titans in each team, good luck to both teams.

[mdrew]

Great article on the official site about juniors, good work Titans, Payne Haas is a real talent.

http://www.titans.com.au/news/2014/0..._on_coast.html

[Hail Sezer]

Great article on the official site about juniors, good work Titans, Payne Haas is a real talent.

http://www.titans.com.au/news/2014/0..._on_coast.html

Here is the article for those interested:

Confirmation that some of the best young talent from Gold Coast and surrounding areas have been recruited into the Titans’ new pathway program was evident when Payne Haas was today selected in the Australian under-15s merit team.

Payne was one of four players in the Titans development system who played in the final of the tournament, won by Queensland Maroons 34-6 against Queensland Whites, showing what depth of talent there is in the state.

The others were Kees Nicholson and Lorenzo Leapai (Maroon) and Luke Mastroianni (White).

The Titans are determined to keep as many Gold Coast juniors as they can on the Coast and give them an NRL opportunity in the face of ongoing interest in the area’s best players by other NRL clubs.

Also among those who are benefitting from elite coaching and personal development as part of the new six-stage program are three members of the Queensland under-16 side that played the curtain-raiser to State of Origin I at Suncorp Stadium, a member of the NSW under-16s side, four from the under-15 Queensland Schoolboys squad, two from the under-18 Queensland Schoolboys and one from the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges under-15 team.

Heading the list is Haas, a Nerang junior attending Keebra Park high who was approached by several NRL clubs after being the stand-out player of the Queensland under-15s carnival recently.

The massively built 15-year-old has elected to stay in the Titans system, in a real coup for the club.

Among other promising players in the program include recent representative selections such as Queensland under-16s Kobe Tararo (Logan), Vito Sula-Siaosi (Runaway Bay), Ethan Paikea (Mudgeeraba); NSW under-16s representative Jai Whitbread (Tweed Heads); under-15 schoolboys Haas, Kees Nicholson (Keebra Park), Luke Mastroianni (Runaway Bay, Coombahah HS) and Lorenzo Leapai (Logan); NSW Combined Catholic Colleges rep Max Bryant (Cudgen) and recently selected Queensland under-18 schools selections Jordan Scott (Runaway Bay, Keebra Park) and Braydon McMahon (Southport, Keebra Park) who were both part of the Keebra Park side that won last year’s GIO Schoolboys Cup.

“We have refined out structures and processes to focus on quality of coaching and development rather than quantity with small elite groups of players from the northern end of the coast, the southern end and a third in northern NSW,” said Titans elite player development unit manager Jamie McCormack.

“It’s all about focusing on smaller groups of maximum 20 players and offering the highest quality coaching with a lot of one of one work, all monitored directly by our coaching and development people at the Titans.

“What we want to achieve is that the best players from Grafton through to the top of the Gold Coast and the Logan area see that the Titans can offer as good a development pathway to the NRL than any other club and there is no need to leave to achieve their dreams.

“It’s still a big target area for other NRL clubs, some of who have big money to splash around, but our aim is to not lose anyone for reasons to do with football and personal development.”

The program involves six stages of development from assisting junior league representative sides with athletic and skills testing and education, to the Titans junior development squads for 13-14 year olds, attendance at an annual under-14s camp; the junior academy for 15-16 year olds, progress to the senior academy for 17-18 year olds; then to the Titans under-20s squad.

The squads in each of the three areas have several sessions a year where focus is on strength and conditioning, skills and also diet and lifestyle.

“It’s about a more personal relationship and attachment with the players and their families and giving the young players every assistance and opportunity to progress in rugby league, hopefully with the Titans,” McCormack said.

“We’ve had a tremendous response while still in our early stages and I think the quality of players who are in the system and committed themselves to the club is vindication that we are on the right path.”