Gold Coast unites in support of Titans

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast unites in support of Titans
http://www.nrl.com



Members from all four incarnations of first grade teams from the Gold Coast will for the first time form a guard of honour for the current Titans squad in a new initiative dubbed 'From Giants to Titans'.

Around 50 former players from the Giants, Seagulls, Chargers and Titans will unite at Cbus Super Stadium for Sunday's clash with the Dragons as the Titans seek to forge stronger bonds with Gold Coast's history in the ARL and NRL competitions.

The Gold Coast Old Boys formed in 2007 upon the entry of the Titans into the NRL competition but no formal ties with the Titans were ever established until now.

Robert Simpkins, a member of the inaugural Giants team in 1988 and whose son Ryan is a member of the current Titans squad, said it was a great way to connect with history and help to build a positive culture within the club.

"You look at Souths and St George, Parramatta, they've all got that history and it takes time to build," Simpkins said.

"We've been trying to get this going for a while now. We're keen to get more people involved in it and have it filter through the Chargers era, the Seagulls era and to get involved with the Titans."

Sneaking up on 100 games for the club having moved from the Sharks in 2012, Titans forward Luke Douglas said it was important to forge that connection with the past in order to build future success.

"I'm a big believer in the history of the club and not only the Titans but all the Gold Coast teams before the Titans," Douglas said.

"It's good to have them all there and have them all supporting us. They're going to make a guard of honour for us to run out of so it's pretty special.

"Now that we're combining all the previous team names we're on the right path. It's good to have that history and hopefully it brings some good culture to the club."

While the Giants and then the Seagulls struggled to establish a foothold in the premier rugby league competition, the Chargers were financially viable when they became a victim of rationalisation following the Super League war.

But Peter Gill knows better than most how tough the Gold Coast market has been to win over since the inception of the Giants in 1988.

After 71 games for the Dragons, Gill played 67 games for the Seagulls between 1992-95 and also worked in the club's marketing and sponsorship department which was just as tough an assignment as winning games on the field.

"It was tough. We were trying to get Jeep on board and we nearly had them signed, sealed and delivered and they pulled the pin at the last minute," Gill told NRL.com.

"We never really had a major sponsor and it's been tough for a long time on the Gold Coast.

"It is tough but the boys have just got to win. If they start winning people will start following them again.

"Everyone loves a winner and if you're winning games every week you're going to be in the grand final.

"I think Neil Henry and Terry Matterson are doing a great job and they're getting some quality players with some young kids coming through so I reckon they're on the right track.

"You don't look for a pat on the back or anything but it will be good to be recognised [on Sunday].

"I go down to the St George reunions every year and they're a great, traditional club. Here, they haven't done anything yet but in a couple of years who knows what might happen.

"I just hope they can win a grand final and then everyone will follow them."

[DIEHARD]

I couldn't agree more. I always loved seeing the Old Boys work but was frustrated it didn't seem to get support by the old regime.

It always seemed like the old GCRL legacy was repressed and kept at arm's length by the old regime.

Where as I wear my Chargers jersey with pride at matches.

I even wish we'd wear it as a Heritage jersey one day.

[kioli]

Great to see.

[indoallstars]

Absolutely love it, although we aren't place high on this year it is great to see our culture shifting for the better. I know not everyone is happy with what Neil and the board has done but they have been handed a sh*tload of baggage not to mention the coke and DCE saga on top of it all, but I have enjoyed the fact that we have done a good cleanout of players, new culture, focusing on local youth, and actually playing some good attacking games when compared to previous years. This is just one more of the 1% which will bond the club and the Gold Coast. I don't expect miracles over night but I am happy with the direction we are going, we may not have the biggest named signings but we sure have some potential diamonds, bring on the next few years, short term pain for long term gain. Up up the mighty Titans

[DavidBouveng]

i would try and make this bigger every year. open invitation to all former players of coast teams. very cool to see.

Hope it becomes a big deal

[lonegull]

totally agree DB make it bigger every year, its something the titans can build on for sure

[DavidBouveng]

yeah man, newcastle do it really well.

Peter Gill is one of the guys i think about when i think of old seagulls players... get Choppy, Jacko, Wayne Bartrim, the Weston boys, Wes Patton, Ikin, DANNY PEACOCK OMG...heaps of these guys would give me a thrill

Imagine what stories they would have from the horror days and how lucky the players are now.

And don't get me started if the real David Bouveng was there in the flesh...

i hope this snowballs and becomes a huge days for us and im there in 40 years telling my grandkids about the time when Titans first premiership Captain and Aussie player Kane Elgey dominated at CBUS as he gets driven around the ground with his partner in crime Ryan James...goosebumps i tells ya.

[Titanic]

You forgot the goat and next year we can invite Myles and Taylor back … I can't wait.

[karnage]

I messaged the team about our heritage jerseys. This should be easy:
2016 - Giants
2017 - Seagulls
2018 - Chargers

Tell me you wouldn't buy every single one of those jerseys??

This is something I am sure we can rally around in the off season. Who was the dude who used to do all those mock up jerseys?? Could somebody do a sweet looking Giants one?? Lets get the ball rolling, because God knows we have no football to look forward to in September!!

[Bayside Titan]

I messaged the team about our heritage jerseys. This should be easy:
2016 - Giants
2017 - Seagulls
2018 - Chargers

Tell me you wouldn't buy every single one of those jerseys??

This is something I am sure we can rally around in the off season. Who was the dude who used to do all those mock up jerseys?? Could somebody do a sweet looking Giants one?? Lets get the ball rolling, because God knows we have no football to look forward to in September!!

Great idea mate. I would buy a jersey.

[DIEHARD]

I messaged the team about our heritage jerseys. This should be easy:
2016 - Giants
2017 - Seagulls
2018 - Chargers

Tell me you wouldn't buy every single one of those jerseys??

This is something I am sure we can rally around in the off season. Who was the dude who used to do all those mock up jerseys?? Could somebody do a sweet looking Giants one?? Lets get the ball rolling, because God knows we have no football to look forward to in September!!

It's like they deny it because of some type of perceived cultural cringe? But I love it and would buy every single one and wear them with pride!

The guy was gazf. http://gazf.info/

[DIEHARD]

[DIEHARD]

[Titanic]

Loved the Giants jersey most other than our current one but all are purchasable … if we are going to brand them then shouldn't we use Aquis out of loyalty?

[DIEHARD]

Loved the Giants jersey most other than our current one but all are purchasable … if we are going to brand them then shouldn't we use Aquis out of loyalty?

Yea I think so.

I always liked the Chargers and Giants ones best. In that order.