No need for Rankin replacement: Titans

[TITAN PETE]

By Tony Webeck
Chief Qld Correspondent
NRL.com
6:20am Wed 27th November, 2013


Together they were the kid facing the dreaded second-year syndrome and a talent seeking yet another second chance, but in the space of 12 months Aidan Sezer and Albert Kelly have earned the complete faith of the Titans coaching staff and playing roster.

The pair combined for a total of 25 try assists in 2013 and with a full pre-season to further work on their combinations, coach John Cartwright is confident they are the long-term halves pairing for his side.

The Titans will soon farewell one of their options in the halves with five-eighth/fullback Jordan Rankin granted a release to join Hull FC in the English Super League on a two-year deal but Cartwright said he has no inclination to go looking for replacement, comfortable that he has the playing stock to cover the loss of Rankin.

"I don't think we need to, I think we're pretty well sorted in the halves," Cartwright said. "We've got some guys coming through and coming off injury who didn't play a lot last year in Jamal Fogarty and Beau Henry. Ashley Harrison filled in a bit there, William Zillman can play there so it's probably not an area where we need to fix straight away.

"All things being equal Kelly and Sezer finished the year in great form so they'll get the jump on it but outside that we do have Zillman and with Henry and Fogarty both coming off injuries they'll be fresh and ready to go.

"Salary-cap wise we're pretty chock-full so it's nothing we can do top-tier, as is the case with most clubs at this stage of the year. The money's spent but we're pretty comfortable with where we are."

Rankin shot to prominence when he made his NRL debut for the Titans as a 16-year-old in 2008 but with only 16 further appearances in the top grade to his name in the years since, he recognised it was time to re-establish himself elsewhere – not ruling out a return to the NRL in future.

"Alby had a great season last year, there's no doubt about that at all, 'Zilly' [William Zillman] is vice-captain and one of the best fullbacks in the game and Aidan's obviously proved himself over the past couple of years of how good he can be," Rankin said.

"It was just opportunity. It's an opportunity for me to go over there and make a name for myself. I'm young enough to go over there and hopefully make a name for myself and see where it goes. I could find myself back in the NRL in a couple of years' time or have a long career in the Super League. You never know what time will do to you so I'm going to try to take every opportunity I can over there with two hands."

A tour with the AIS team in 2009 gave Rankin an insight into the type of conditions he can expect in the north of England and good friend and former Wests Tiger Jacob Miller has brought him up to speed on the reception he can expect in Hull.

"He said they're pretty full-on with the supporters they've got," the 21-year-old said. "One side is red and white and the other side is black and white so that's going to be a little bit scary come derby time but he said they're all for it.

"They're massive on their footy and it's pretty similar to the Gold Coast. We're very passionate here about the Titans and the supporters are as well and hopefully they welcome me with open arms."

[Skyfire]

'Zilly' [William Zillman] is vice-captain and one of the best fullbacks in the game

Someone isnt paying attention.

[Titanic]

Must be me because I couldn't agree and I'll add that the Zillman is certainly not an option in the halves either.

[Supergoose]

A fit and firing Zillman is right up just beneath the top echelon of NRL fullbacks. If he can have a season where he strings a bunch of games together there's no reason he can't be in that top echelon. I agree that he's no half, but he's pretty good at fullback but I reckon he's be even better at left centre.

[Mexican titan]

A fit and firing Zillman is right up just beneath the top echelon of NRL fullbacks. If he can have a season where he strings a bunch of games together there's no reason he can't be in that top echelon. I agree that he's no half, but he's pretty good at fullback but I reckon he's be even better at left centre.

I am probably not one of Zilly's bigger critics that post on here but Zilly at his best, in my opinion, is way way below Inglis, Stewart, Dugan, Slater, Mini, Hayne, Locke, Bowen, Boyd. It's daylight between this lot and Zilly.

[Mr Stupid]

"A tour with the AIS team in 2009 gave Rankin an insight into the type of conditions he can expect in the north of England". Brrrr! that biting easterly wind that sweeps across the North Sea direct from the Urals in Siberia. The poor sod.

[Supergoose]

I am probably not one of Zilly's bigger critics that post on here but Zilly at his best, in my opinion, is way way below Inglis, Stewart, Dugan, Slater, Mini, Hayne, Locke, Bowen, Boyd. It's daylight between this lot and Zilly.

I'd rather have a fit Zillman than Stewart, Dugan, Mini or Locke. Inglis, Slater and Hayne are obviously better but those others aren't. I've been an advocate of Zillman playing elsewhere but his best at fullback is up there. A lot of head fullbacks would kill to make the line-breaks that Zillman does.

[TITAN PETE]

I'd rather have a fit Zillman than Stewart, Dugan, Mini or Locke. Inglis, Slater and Hayne are obviously better but those others aren't. I've been an advocate of Zillman playing elsewhere but his best at fullback is up there. A lot of head fullbacks would kill to make the line-breaks that Zillman does.

I can understand supporting someone like Zillman because he's in the team but to say he's better than any of those 4 players ... get off the Drugs

[Titans Riley]

I think Zillman at his his best is better than Locke, Boyd, Gordon, Minichello, Tedesco, Moylan, Hoffman, Coote. But he is rarely at his best, if Zillman can be consistently good, then I will be happy, but he rarely is.

[Titanic]

Zillman < Boyd (who is rarely caught out of position and never goes missing); Zillman < Gordon (who can kick goals as well as score tries); Zillman < Minichiello (who is Mr. Consistency and organises his teams defence); Zillman < Millford (not mentioned previously) ... Zillman = Locke and Coote ... Zillman > Tedesco and Hoffman.

[DIEHARD]

While I dont agree I think if someone wants to have that opinion of Zillman than thats cool. He certainly isnt a bad player, and when he is good he is brilliant. But Id love to see him play at centre.

[Titanic]

I don't think he is a bad player either. There are a lot of players who never reach NRL standard at all. He's had some bad luck with injuries and on his day goes well but he is in the lower echelon of NRL fullbacks on a week to week basis.

[Mexican titan]

I don't think he is a bad player either. There are a lot of players who never reach NRL standard at all. He's had some bad luck with injuries and on his day goes well but he is in the lower echelon of NRL fullbacks on a week to week basis.

I might need to clarify. I didn't say he was a bad player but in my opinion he is behind the 8 other fullbacks I mentioned earlier. As I mentioned in a post some time ago I think the players in our 1,6,7, and 9 positions would generally rank about 8th or so in their positions and that's why we will be mid table unless others step up. I think our forward pack is just about as good as there is (on paper at least) and that's why I hope we can be a top 4 side.
But Zillman being better than Stewart, Mini, Dugan -

[teke]

Zilly goes alright, I'd put him in the 16-25 bracket for best fbs

[karnage]

I think the original premise of the article is correct, for two reasons:

1. Rankin was no good anyway.
2. What we really need is another hard working back rower.