Gold Coast Titans have big plans for Hazard

[Titan4Life]

Gold Coast Titans have big plans for pint-sized Christian Hazard
TRAVIS MEYN GOLD COAST BULLETIN
JANUARY 26, 2015 12:00AM



Christian Hazard has heard it his whole life.

He’s too small for the rigours of rugby league. His body won’t stand up against the towering specimens the NRL now *possesses. But he has also seen just how *dynamic the smaller man can be.

Gold Coast Titans coach Neil Henry will unleash Hazard at the Auckland Nines this weekend as somewhat of a secret weapon.

At 172cm and 81kg, Hazard is only marginally bigger than the dynamic Preston Campbell (167cm, 73kg) during his playing days.

Hazard’s idol, Matt Bowen, is still running around in the English Super League at 175cm and 85kg.

And this 20-year-old is confident he won’t have any issues when he fronts up against NRL stars for the first time in his promising career.

“When I was younger I didn’t get picked in many sides because of my size,” Hazard said.

“But I’m pretty confident in my defence and talk. It doesn’t really bother me.

“I really worked hard on my defence when I first went to Souths. It’s becoming second nature to me now.

“I don’t care about the size of the back-rowers or big boys.

“I always looked up to Matty Bowen and the things he did for his size.

“When I was younger I was always running around calling myself Matty Bowen.”

Born in Toowoomba, Hazard moved south of the border to Taree when he was nine *before completing high school in Sydney, where he was signed by the Rabbitohs.

The Titans poached Hazard from South Sydney as he dominated the under-20s competition in 2013 but his first season on the Gold Coast last year was littered with injury and brought to a premature end as he went under the knife to fix ankle and shoulder woes.

He has bounced back in terrific shape and got in an outstanding pre-season of training to heap the pressure on incumbent halves Aidan Sezer and Daniel Mortimer.

Hazard’s versatility will see him rotate between hooker and the halves at the Nines and he desperately wants to crack the NRL this year.

“I’m really enjoying this pre-season. It’s the hardest one I’ve ever done,” he said.

“Last year I had a good pre-season, scored a try in my first (NRL) trial (against the Warriors) then two days after we had an early training session and I went over on my ankle.

“I tried to play through it during the year but it didn’t feel right.

“I’m really honoured to be selected in the Nines. I’ve been going pretty well and I really wanted to have a crack at it.

“It suits my game with the open space and it’s a chance to play with the best players in the league.

“Hopefully I can do my bit and maybe score some tries to get some confidence that I can play against the big boys.

“I really want to make my NRL debut this year.”

Prop Luke Douglas is set to be rested from the nine-a-side tournament with Matt White to come in while versatile Northern Pride recruit Davin Crampton is battling a shoulder injury.

The Titans head to Auckland on Thursday and face the Warriors in the first of three pool games on Saturday.

[Titanic]

It'll be disappointing if Crampton misses out.

[Hail Sezer]

It'll be disappointing if Crampton misses out.

Definitely.

He's one of the ones I'm most looking forward to seeing along with Hazard, Moseley and Roberts