2016 Squad, Signings and Rumours Thread

[GCTTSD]

Titans make additions to second-tier squad | By Tony Webeck

Familiar faces were few and far between as new signings, promoted under-20s rookies and returning Titans players took to the training paddock for the first session of the 2016 pre-season on Monday.

A brief yet punishing testing session in heat nudging 30 degrees was followed by the (for most) dreaded skin-fold test and appointments with the club doctor and physiotherapist to ascertain what physical shape each and every player is in.

Gold Coast regulars such as Greg Bird, Ryan James and David Mead were back on deck alongside new recruit David Shillington while the likes of Kane Elgey and James Roberts also hit the ground running.

But there were also a number of notable absentees for a variety of reasons.

Josh Hoffman is returning from the United States after a family wedding, Knights recruit Tyrone Roberts was in Fiji last weekend for Akuila Uate's wedding while Luke Douglas is en route back to the Gold Coast after watching his brother Kane play for the Wallabies in the Rugby World Cup final in England.

New signings Zeb Taia (ankle) and Ashley Taylor (hand) remain on restricted duties as well as Daniel Mortimer who injured his foot while holidaying in the US and William Zillman, Eddy Pettybourne, David Hala, Anthony Don and Matt Srama are recovering from off-season surgeries.

The Titans have also added Morgan Boyle and Jeff Lynch to their second-tier squad from the Raiders, signed former Australian Schoolboy Nathan Davis from Parramatta and have former Raider and Shark Sami Sauiluma trialling for a contract.

Under-20s graduates Karl Lawton and Oshae Tuiasau have also made the step up to the senior ranks and coach Neil Henry is hopeful that the addition of seasoned veterans such as Shillington and Friend will set the right tone for the remodelled playing roster.

"We've lost a fair bit of experience with the guys that have left the club and certainly guys like 'Friendy', 'Shillo' and Zeb Taia are experienced campaigners and they'll bring that experience," Henry said.

"That week-in, week-out ability to push themselves and get some consistency so we're looking forward to their leadership.

"[They will set an example] of being able to be at your best, to be organised and prepared to play NRL football on a consistent basis and to the best of your ability.

"Their habits and how they conduct themselves will be certainly something that some of our guys can look up to.

"We've got a few guys that are overcoming surgeries. Matt Srama and Anthony Don with their shoulder operations won't be doing any contact until post-Christmas, Oshae had a knee operation so he'll be a bit restricted, Daniel Mortimer has got a bit of a foot problem, Eddy Pettybourne had a bit of a knee clean-out as well as Dave Hala so there are five or six guys not in full training but certainly within the next month we should welcome most of the squad back."

Monday also served as the first day on the job for an expanded strength and conditioning staff with Matt Ford leading the high performance unit after stints at Canberra and Melbourne along with Sean Edwards (Raiders, Cowboys and Rabbitohs) and Adam Paulo (Broncos, Melbourne AFL).

m.nrl.com/titans-make-additions-to-second-tier-squad/tabid/10874/newsid/90729/default.aspx

[TitanSam]

Ooo Sami Sauiluma.. Is he much good? Saw him in the nines and he looked decent.

[Daniel89]

So looks like mortimers staying? Buzz's story in Sunday telegraph must of been on the money, thought he would of gone to the dogs.

[DavidBouveng]

our training staff and recruitment staff signings are my most exciting so far, aside from Zeb, Ash and Tyrone

[teke]

our training staff and recruitment staff signings are my most exciting so far, aside from Zeb, Ash and Tyrone

Shillington is a carbon copy of you in the face except he's 50kgs heavier and has a more masculine voice

[Bayside Titan]

League scoop: Bulldogs set to sign a Dragon and a Titan

November 3, 2015 3:42pm
Sportal By Sportal
The Canterbury Bulldogs are aggressively pursuing Dragons hooker Craig Garvey and Titans playmaker Daniel Mortimer.
Club officials will meet with the pair over the next couple of days, according to inside sources.


After losing Damien Cook to the Rabbitohs, Canterbury will chase Garvey particularly hard.



Garvey is a considered a live-wire and was pursued by the Raiders as part of a potential player swap with Josh McCrone.
Meanwhile Mortimer's career has plateaued while at the Titans, but he could still provide valuable cover to Moses Mbye and Josh Reynolds, after the Dogs lost controlling halfback Trent Hodkinson.

[DavidBouveng]

Shillington is a carbon copy of you in the face except he's 50kgs heavier and has a more masculine voice

i have had someone tell me that before that i look like him.

as for the voice, maybe you weren't grabbing me low enough

[Brock O'Brien]

The Mole reckons that if Burgess returns to Rabbits, we will get Walker and McQueen. I know that Walker's image may be bad for us, but honestly he is so much better than all of our back line other than Jimmy, we need someone of his calibre.

[TitanSam]

I can understand why everyone is saying we should go for Walker, however, we have some great talented outside backs coming through and imo I don't think its good having two centres that could eventually command 500K + . I think it's ok having one centre that could command that (in this case Jimmy) and one other that could be great ( Nene / Olive). Having two centres on 500K will hurt us in the long run when we try and re-sign LG and Taylor. Just my opinion, I think Walker is a fantastic player but it'd be too risky. I'd sooner have Olive or Nene in that position that's cheap and has heaps o potential.

[teke]

I can understand why everyone is saying we should go for Walker, however, we have some great talented outside backs coming through and imo I don't think its good having two centres that could eventually command 500K + . I think it's ok having one centre that could command that (in this case Jimmy) and one other that could be great ( Nene / Olive). Having two centres on 500K will hurt us in the long run when we try and re-sign LG and Taylor. Just my opinion, I think Walker is a fantastic player but it'd be too risky. I'd sooner have Olive or Nene in that position that's cheap and has heaps o potential.

how does having 2 good centres on good money hurt the Titans?....and Olive, where is he?

[Hail Sezer]

how does having 2 good centres on good money hurt the Titans?....and Olive, where is he?

2017 apparently

[Titan4Life]

When a good quality centre (Test and future NSW star) comes on the market, why wouldn't we chase him? Him and Jimmy would form a great combo and a good centres pairing. I heard he was going to Manly though and the Mole never said he was coming to us.

[GCTTSD]

I think we'd be pretty stupid if we're not chasing mqueen and walker. A good backrower with hoffman and walker in the centers and jimmy the jet at fullback would give us the best chance at making the eight next year

[Bayside Titan]

As per Bulldogs press release Perrett has signed with the Dogs for a further 2 years.

[Mexican titan]

The Mole reckons that if Burgess returns to Rabbits, we will get Walker and McQueen. I know that Walker's image may be bad for us, but honestly he is so much better than all of our back line other than Jimmy, we need someone of his calibre.

I'm probably being a bit selective but I don't put Walker's drug issue in the same boat as taking/dealing coke or other drugs. Walker took legally prescribed drugs and from what I read, he took them with some energy drinks. Yep stupid and it nearly cost him his life so if he doesn't learn from that then he is a fool. I would take him and cannot agree at all that having two centres at a high price is harmful, not if our cap is properly managed. I see plenty of other clubs with two class centres. Nene shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as Roberts and Walker.

I am just desperate for the club to sign some class. Respect your opinion TitanSam but I don't see these great talented backs coming through that you do. But I didn't see a 100/1 horse winning the Cup today either!