Junior Development

[mdrew]

The Titans over the last six to twelve months have assembled an outstanding crop of young forwards such as Jai Arrow, Morgan Boyle, Max King, Keegan Hipgrave, Jai Whitbread and Moeaki Fotuaika.

That is not even taking into consideration the likes of Darius Farmer, Reihana Marsh Apiata Noema-Matenga, James Robinson, Luke Maiden, Daniel Shannon and Blake Campbell amongst plenty of others in the U20 and U18 competitions and as part of the Titans Rookie Squad.

Below the U18 and U20 age groups the Titans have the likes of forwards Ben Liyou, Bailey Martin, Brody Smitka, Sam Shannon, Ethan Foster and Ezra Ubaldino etc who will be coming through as the first group of forwards mentioned start to hit their prime.

The future certainly looks bright for the Gold Coast Titans forward pack over the next couple of years.

[mdrew]

The Group One U14 side for this weekend’s New South Wales Country Championships looks very impressive with a number of talented youngsters involved.

Amongst them is centre Nathaniel Ord, front rower Ashdon Randall, fullback Ziah Piggott and second rower Jake Lenard.

Their first match is on Saturday morning against Newcastle.

[Bayside Titan]

The Titans over the last six to twelve months have assembled an outstanding crop of young forwards such as Jai Arrow, Morgan Boyle, Max King, Keegan Hipgrave, Jai Whitbread and Moeaki Fotuaika.

That is not even taking into consideration the likes of Darius Farmer, Reihana Marsh Apiata Noema-Matenga, James Robinson, Luke Maiden, Daniel Shannon and Blake Campbell amongst plenty of others in the U20 and U18 competitions and as part of the Titans Rookie Squad.

Below the U18 and U20 age groups the Titans have the likes of forwards Ben Liyou, Bailey Martin, Brody Smitka, Sam Shannon, Ethan Foster and Ezra Ubaldino etc who will be coming through as the first group of forwards mentioned start to hit their prime.

The future certainly looks bright for the Gold Coast Titans forward pack over the next couple of years.

I love reading this Mdrew.

What centres do we have in our system ?

[mdrew]

In the higher levels mate we have the likes of Mikey Williams (NRL ready as early as next year) and Jaxson Paulo who spent the last half of the year training with the NRL squad.

In the younger age groups players such Rowan Mansfield, Riley Lack, Kaleb Ngamanu are very good.

Throw in two centres who represented Queensland U16's being Tate Roberts and Byron Parnell and you have a solid group.

Of course you cannot leave out the two PBC centres in William Evans and Noah Gafa who have performed so well in helping PBC win the Queensland GIO Final this afternoon either

Apologies to the players I missed in both categories.

I love reading this Mdrew.

What centres do we have in our system ?

[mdrew]

The Group 18 U15 side for this weekends New South WAles Country Championships has a distinct Titans feel to it with Titans contracted players Riley Lack (five eight), Tom Weaver (half) Jack Cullen (front row) and Ryan Foran (second row) all named as was Titans linked front rower Zain Mitchell-Dowding who has been named on the bench

[RenegadeGC]

In the higher levels mate we have the likes of Mikey Williams (NRL ready as early as next year) and Jaxson Paulo who spent the last half of the year training with the NRL squad.

In the younger age groups players such Rowan Mansfield, Riley Lack, Kaleb Ngamanu are very good.

Throw in two centres who represented Queensland U16's being Tate Roberts and Byron Parnell and you have a solid group.

Of course you cannot leave out the two PBC centres in William Evans and Noah Gafa who have performed so well in helping PBC win the Queensland GIO Final this afternoon either

Apologies to the players I missed in both categories.

Hey mate do you know much about Nerang U16 centre Trey Peni. Was a stand out this year in a strong Nerang side. Has some great physical attributes from a little i seen of him this year. Has seemingly popped out of know where.

[mdrew]

Yes mate a former WA boy who I believe has been training with the Titans for their up coming U16 games. He is a powerful runner of the ball and will very very hard defensively.

Prior to this season he spent a fair bit of time in the second row.

Hey mate do you know much about Nerang U16 centre Trey Peni. Was a stand out this year in a strong Nerang side. Has some great physical attributes from a little i seen of him this year. Has seemingly popped out of know where.

[RenegadeGC]

Yes mate a former WA boy who I believe has been training with the Titans for their up coming U16 games. He is a powerful runner of the ball and will very very hard defensively.

Prior to this season he spent a fair bit of time in the second row.

Thanks mate, will be interesting to see how everyone goes in the Titans 16s and 18s later this month

[mdrew]

Titans rookie squad member Curtis Dansey-Smaller has been named on the wing for Teeed Heads in the GCRL First Grade Grand Final against Runaway Bay on Sunday.

[lonegull]

Mdrew you may be able to help with this one how many of the PBC winning team are contracted to the titans

[mdrew]

By my count three mate but I may be one out , depending on a few things

Mdrew you may be able to help with this one how many of the PBC winning team are contracted to the titans

[mdrew]

In Sunday’s Gold Coast Rugby League U19 Grand Final Titan Daniel Shannon will start in the front row and Callum Boomer will be at fullback for Southport as they take on Currumbin who have 2018 Tweed Heads MM and Colts winger Kiu Nuku-Ngala starting on the wing.

[mdrew]

David Butler is a Titans contracted is a local young front rower who has been part of the Titans junior development set up since the age of 13.

Earlier this season David Butler represented Queensland in both the U18 and U18 QSSRL Open School Boys sides and late last year was named in the Queensland U18 Emerging Origin squad.

In the U18 match for Queensland against New South Wales David Butler come on late in the first half about the same time as fellow Titan Blake Campbell and made and immediately made some solid hits in defence as well as an outstanding run on his first hit-up to settle him into the match.

David Butler made the QSSRL U18 side after some impressive performances for the South Coast side that lost the Championship Final 34 – 28 to Met North.

Earlier this season, David Butler was an ever present in the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side, playing every match including their semi-final against South’s Logan. David Butler started Round One on the inter change bench but started the remainder of the season in the front row.

Post the MM Cup and playing for South Coast in the U18 QSSRL Championships David Butler played Round Three of the GCRL U19 competition, starting in the front row for Helensvale as they went down 36 – 6.

David Butler also made one appearance for Tweed Heads in the U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition this season.

This season David Butler moved from Coombabah State High School to Keebra Park and started the majority of their matches in the front row. Keebra Park unfortunately bowed out in the Queensland GIO Cup quarter finals going down to Marsden State High School.

David Butler was the primary kick-off return player for both Keebra Park this season and on Day Two of the U18 QSSRL competition for South Coast against Darling Downs made some big returns including one in the first half where he split the defence from the kick off, rumbling to around the half way mark before being dragged down. South Coast scored later in the same set of six.

David Butler has been a bit of a favourite of mine, since I saw him play for our U13 development squad in a game at Redlands a few years ago now. He had come off for a rest, but a couple of injuries meant that the coach turned around and said to the players on the bench, “I need someone to play lock”, David Butler’s hand went straight up, when the coach told him to quickly warm up to go on, he turned to the player next to him and get a quick rundown of where he needed to defend on the field as he had never played lock before. A little thing like this goes to show the dedication and willingness of him to do what is necessary to help his team win.

[mdrew]

It was certainly a good day for the Titans boys in the PBC side who defeated Kirwan State High School on Tuesday 32 – 26 in the Queensland GIO Cup final.

Both PBC centres are contracted to the Titans being Will Evans and Noah Gafa with both scoring doubles.

[mdrew]

Burleigh MM Cup pair Reno Gerrard (No. 8) and Reno Gerrard (NO. 13) as well as former Titans development squad member Deon Samuela have been named in the TSS First XV for their match against Nudgee this Saturday.

It is winner take all.