Keen new Titans recruit Brad Tighe good as gold in first training session

[K2G]

From Dailytelegraph.com.au
January 08, 2014 11:00PM

BRAD Tighe walked away from his first training session as a Titan clueless about where he was going to sleep last night.

If anybody needed a bed it was the 29-year-old who woke up to a 4am alarm in Penrith and by 9am was pushing through a beep test with his new teammates on the Gold Coast.

Tighe was told on Monday the Titans wanted him immediately in a player swap for troubled Jamal Idris.

Tighe trained with Penrith on Tuesday then said goodbye to his teammates as the deals were completed.

If yesterday's impression was anything to go by, the Titans have secured a bargain.

Tighe wanted to make an immediate statement by getting to the Gold Coast as soon as possible and starred with his fitness, skills and leadership in the two-hour session.

Meanwhile, Idris is not expected at Penrith for two weeks and is believed to be struggling yet again with his weight. He is likely to report for duty in Sydney as heavy as he was when his form flat-lined in 2012.

Titans coach John Cartwright was surprised Tighe lobbed at the clubhouse early yesterday and wanted to hit the training fields immediately.

"He wasn't expected here probably until Monday but the fact he was here today, it just reinforces what you hoped you knew about him,'' Cartwright said.

"He was super keen, even from the moment they spoke to him. He didn't have to leave, he decided to leave and once he did he was on the first plane here and he is really excited. He was up the front of the beep test and looks in good shape.

"He can play, that is the bottom line. He has great speed, is a good defender, a natural footballer and a real quality bloke.''

At his best, Tighe has the speed, evasive skills and agility to trouble any centre in the NRL.

His three-try effort killed the Gold Coast's late push for a 2012 finals campaign but struggled for first grade action last year, playing only seven NRL games and scoring two tries.

The Titans almost signed Tighe last year until he broke back into first grade and the deal fell over.

The former Newcastle junior, who grew up playing alongside Titans skipper Greg Bird, had no hesitation when this offer came up earlier in the week.

"I think I needed a fresh start. I've been at Penrith for like six years so I wanted to move my family up here, start again and hopefully have a good season,'' Tighe said.

"Hopefully I play my best footy for the Titans. It was my decision in the end. It was left to me and I wanted to come up and wanted that change.

"My missus (partner Sarah) is more excited than I am and the little one (four-year-old daughter Ella) can't wait to get up here. She loves the beaches.

"She starts school next year so what better place to start than on the Goldy.''

While Idris may have walked out on the Titans three years early, the club has secured giant star Dave Taylor until the end of 2016.

Taylor had a get-out clause for next year but his manager Col Davis confirmed the former Test and Origin star had activated the final two-year option on his contract as he was settled at the club and in his personal life.

While Taylor has not been sighted on the training paddock this week, as a precaution over his achilles and calf problems, the damaging backrower returned from a Christmas break in better shape than ever.

[Smakked]

Thats a good sign of someone who wants to play.

[Titanic]

It makes you wonder how some of these guys take their opportunities for granted … nice to have a good positive and refreshingly club-minded article in the press.

[kioli]

Nice article, everything I've read about Tighe paints him as a quality person.