2016 Titans Trial Games

[DIEHARD]

February 6 - 7: NRL Auckland Nines v TBA, Eden Park, Auckland.
February 13: v Parramatta Eels in Alice Springs; v Warriors in Whangerei
February 20: v South Sydney Rabbitohs, Pizzey Park.

[DIEHARD]

The Titans have added to their preseason schedule with a second Gold Coast squad set to play the New Zealand Warriors on February 13 in the Bay of Islands region while another team plays Parramatta in Alice Springs.
http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/

[shamus]

The Titans have added to their preseason schedule with a second Gold Coast squad set to play the New Zealand Warriors on February 13 in the Bay of Islands region while another team plays Parramatta in Alice Springs.
http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/

I fly back home that day so I am gunna miss it...

I assume the squad will be the 9's team in its entirety..

[DIEHARD]

The Gold Coast Titans will not send a full-strength team to Alice Springs for their pre-season match against Parramatta next year
http://www.ntnews.com.au/

CENTRALIAN rugby league fans are set to be short-changed as the Gold Coast Titans will not send a full-strength squad to Alice Springs for their pre-season clash against Parramatta next year at Anzac Oval.

The Titans will take on the Eels in the third Alice Springs NRL preseason trial game on Saturday, February 13 in 2016.

On the same day in New Zealand, another Titans squad will play the New Zealand Warriors in Whangerei.

It is expected the Titans senior squad will be split in two with the remaining spots filled by players from their under-20s Holden cup team.

The Titans have several Kiwi internationals and former Warriors players in Josh Hoffman, Eddy Pettybourne, Zeb Taia, Nathan Friend, Matt Robinson, Nathaniel Peteru and Agnatius Paasi — who are expected to be in the squad to face the Warriors.

Of the leftover Titans players — captain Greg Bird, new recruit David Shillington and young star Ryan James would be the only three that would be considered ‘big names’.

A Titans official stressed to the NT News yesterday ‘a second string’ team would not be sent to Central Australia but he could not confirm the actual travelling party until a week before the game.

The Titans are not obligated to send a strong squad as the Eels have the deal with the NT Government but last year’s opponents — the Wests Tigers sent all their stars to the Red Centre.

The Tigers travelling party included Australian and New South Wales hooker Robbie Farah, Kevin Naiqama, Aaron Woods and Keith Galloway among others.

The Eels lost their trial match this year 20-4 at Anzac Oval against the Tigers earlier this year.

An Eels official said they were not concerned by the Titans splitting their squad in two for the separate matches on the same day.

Titans coach Neil Henry said he was excited to take the Titans to New Zealand.

“It’s wonderful to take a trial match between two NRL teams to Whangarei, a wonderful part of the world, and give the people up there first-hand access to some top-line players,” Henry said.

“There should be a lot of interest in the match.”

Next year is the third year of the four-year, multimillion-dollar partnership between the NT Government and Eels.

Minister for Sport and Recreation Gary Higgins did not respond to questions.