2016 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

[teke]

Goodness me it's 2011 all over again with some positional recommendations.

[Barrels]

Ooooh and here come the predictable downvotes. God forbid somebody has a different opinion to the usual 'let's stay optimistic' theme of this thread.

Barrels - Tyrone had about 10 good games at Newy in those three years.
Morts is the guy everybody here was complaining about who should have been dropped to QLD cup and not resigned by the club
Taylor hasn't proven himself yet - even Elgey started his season off in QLD cup last year.

I see your point but you gotta give them faith. I dont like morts as much as anyone else but beggars cant be choosers. there is also this guy
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Greg Bird might be forced to play five-eighth for embattled Titans
Chris Garry The Courier-Mail

THE Titans’ cruel run of misfortune has left them as the shortest priced wooden spoon favourites in NRL history and now they will be forced to use Greg Bird as a five-eighth.

Bird trained at five-eighth for the Titans yesterday morning following the season-ending knee injury to boom halfback and their best attacking player Kane Elgey.

Elgey is shattered after rupturing his ACL in an innocuous training incident on Monday.

It was believed Elgey suffered a minor knock but scans revealed the worst on Monday night and the player the Titans could least afford to lose was told his year was finished.

Veteran backrower Bird is the frontrunner to play in the halves for Round 1, partnering either Tyrone Roberts or 20-year-old Ash Taylor.

Bird’s shift from the edge is actually a smart way to limit the damage of Elgey’s absence as the Blues regular has worn the No. 6 for Australia and won man of the match awards for New South Wales as a five-eighth.

Bird played five-eighth for the Titans in their final game of the season last year after yet another injury crisis and would provide a sound defender and hard runner to compliment one of their younger halves.



Coach Neil Henry was cagey when asked about Bird’s five-eighth credentials but he will continue training in the position in a clear sign the No. 6 jersey is likely to be his for the opening rounds.

“Birdy was training there today and he loves having the six on his back,” Henry said.

“He will be an option for us. He has played there before. Josh Hoffman has too. We are not devoid of options there.

“Ash Taylor, Tyrone Roberts are going well and Karl Lawton is a young guy coming in who might have the opportunity that Kane had last year.”

Bookies wound the Titans’ wooden spoon chances in dramatically on Tuesday, with UBET pricing the Gold Coast at a record low of $2.50 to finish 16th this season.


Canberra were $3.50 last season to win the wooden spoon and that was the previous lowest price.

Henry revealed the Titans were active in the player market and have cap space to buy talent but they will need rival clubs to release players from contracts.

The Titans fans who attend games this season deserve special credit for their loyalty to a club that has been dealt a series of crushing blows, the majority of which they had little control over.

In the past nine months the Titans have lost Elgey to injury and James Roberts, Nate Myles, Aidan Sezer, Dave Taylor and Daly Cherry-Evans to rival clubs.

Some of the players were deliberately moved on while Cherry-Evans gutted their finals chances when he reneged last season.

The Titans have made solid signings in Chris McQueen and David Shillington but need two representative stars to quickly move to the glitter strip to prove the bookies wrong.

[JunctionBlock]

Ooooh and here come the predictable downvotes. God forbid somebody has a different opinion to the usual 'let's stay optimistic' theme of this thread.

Barrels - Tyrone had about 10 good games at Newy in those three years.
Morts is the guy everybody here was complaining about who should have been dropped to QLD cup and not resigned by the club
Taylor hasn't proven himself yet - even Elgey started his season off in QLD cup last year.

Lets not forget that Newcastle fans tried to sell Tyronne on ebay for 99 cents and he still didn't sell.
We were only impressed with Mortimer when he played hooker from the bench.
And I'm with you on Taylor.

As for Bird in the halves....here I thought we were short on second rowers.

There is no use sugar coating it.

[Titan4Life]

Let's not forget that Tyrone Roberts played a huge part in Newcastle almost making the GF in 2013. And also that at the back end of the 2015 season he got MOM against the Storm and scored the match winner against the Tigers.

Hope he proves the doubters wrong. I for one think he will go alright.

[Brock O'Brien]

Taylor played a lot of Q Cup last year and was killing it, thats why he was handed a debut for the Broncos when they could of just slotted Kodi Nikorima in.

[Titan4Life]

Taylor played a lot of Q Cup last year and was killing it, thats why he was handed a debut for the Broncos when they could of just slotted Kodi Nikorima in.

Spot on. And he looked great in his debut vs Storm. Good kicking game from what I've seen. And has a fair bit of pace.

[KingElgey]

Really don't like people tipping wooden spooners or premiership winners before the season starts. Who knows what will happen during the season.

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A lot will need to go right (for once) for us to go decent next year. Forwards, which are better than last year, will need to work hard and lay the platform for the halves. We will need to hope that for once we don't get a bucketload of injuries. Hopefully Ash Taylor will have a similar first year to Elgey and be our creative half. And we will need to hope that Tyrone returns to his 2013 form (and even late 2015 form). When Tyrone is on fire, he can be a match winner. Taylor will be our creative and Tyrone will be our spark.

All we can do this year is try to make the team gel a bit and then go hard on the market in 2017.

Well said. Agree 100%

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And Taylor will only become better now that he has his position to himself, and no bags of pressure on his back like he would at a larger club. As for Roberts, I agree with Titan4Life. I can see Tyrone cracking it at GC. He has now relocated, which would have helped him immensely, physically AND mentally, and also now has nothing to lose. If Copley joins, even better.

I think as Titans fans, we need to forget about the negatives, because unfortunately, they are going to come. Rather we need to focus on what can happen, and what we have. Don't fall into the past, what's over is over. If we play consistent, we win matches. Just need to help and support the boys through their tough journey. #ThruNThru

[Titan4Life]

Exactly King. Obviously we are going through tough times at the moment. But this place through some posters has become a place where people just whinge and whine. It's hard to keep faith at times like these but please stop with these depressing posts (you know who you are).

[JunctionBlock]

Let's not forget that Tyrone Roberts played a huge part in Newcastle almost making the GF in 2013. And also that at the back end of the 2015 season he got MOM against the Storm and scored the match winner against the Tigers.

Hope he proves the doubters wrong. I for one think he will go alright.

Unfortunately "alright" doesn't cut it at this level. Just another reject that we were forced to take when the one we wanted went elsewhere (and that was after DCE). Same story, same ending just different characters time and time again.

[Titan4Life]

My god whinge whinge whinge. Sure things might be looking a bit shaky for next year but what is this constant whining going to accomplish?

[Mexican titan]

All we can do this year is try to make the team gel a bit and then go hard on the market in 2017.

I agree with you but what makes you think we'll go hard at the market for 2017. We had plenty of chances for this year but sat on our hands.

[Titan4Life]

I agree with you but what makes you think we'll go hard at the market for 2017. We had plenty of chances for this year but sat on our hands.

We did. I agree. But that DCE backflip did really stuff us up and make us really gun shy. We are now nervous at putting big bucks into one or two guys. No use complaining about it though.

Hope we do go all out in the 2017 market. We need to.

I trust Henry knows what he's doing even if he's suffered a few setbacks.

[Mexican titan]

Ooooh and here come the predictable downvotes. God forbid somebody has a different opinion to the usual 'let's stay optimistic' theme of this thread.

I agree with you mate. It's just that I got sick of saying the same old thing so I let the optimist rule for a while!
I'll take a few thumbs down from you by mentioning Manly - they missed the 8 last year for the first time in a decade and went about fixing that pronto. The difference between them and the Titans is just astounding. I would give anything to see the Titans succeed but we get what we deserve.

[JunctionBlock]

We did. I agree. But that DCE backflip did really stuff us up and make us really gun shy. We are now nervous at putting big bucks into one or two guys. No use complaining about it though.

Hope we do go all out in the 2017 market. We need to.

I trust Henry knows what he's doing even if he's suffered a few setbacks.

But we are a development club not a recruitment club.

If you don't like differing points of view then why come to a forum. My "whinging" is as useful as anyone else's, "I think we'll go alright" comments or "remember that time that old mate had a good game" or linking the Titans to every dead beat that isn't on a playing roster.

[Titan4Life]

I agree with you mate. It's just that I got sick of saying the same old thing so I let the optimist rule for a while!
I'll take a few thumbs down from you by mentioning Manly - they missed the 8 last year for the first time in a decade and went about fixing that pronto. The difference between them and the Titans is just astounding. I would give anything to see the Titans succeed but we get what we deserve.

Big difference between Manly and the Titans. One is a developed club with a good reputation and the other is suffering from years of poor management. We need to build a positive image first by staying out of the headlines.

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But we are a development club not a recruitment club.

If you don't like differing points of view then why come to a forum. My "whinging" is as useful as anyone else's, "I think we'll go alright" comments or "remember that time that old mate had a good game" or linking the Titans to every dead beat that isn't on a playing roster.

It just gets tiring hearing everyone of your posts 'we are done' 'we are crap'. Cmon mate I understand differing opinions but all you are doing is just slamming your own team over and over.

Anyway if you want to carry on doing it, that's fine. Guess it is a free forum.